The Screaming Dead
by D
Summary: A remake of the 1972 cult horror film. C & C please
1. The Screaming Dead

November 6, 1931

From the diary of John Seward, MD

            -_With almost thirty years past, the horror of what myself and my friends faced still shakes me to my very soul. It was on this very day that my allies Jonathan Harker and Quincy Morris killed the foul abomination known as Dracula as the sun began to set in that far off mountain pass. _

Since then I have more or less retired to the world of private practice. Professor Van Helsing has past on, as have Arthur Holmwood, Jonathan Harker and his wife Mina. Their son Quincy was lost at sea some five years past.

_Although I saw the hateful beast die with my own eyes I still awake sometimes in the night, drenched in sweat as I see those evil filled eyes staring at me._

_I fear Dracula is coming back_

Switzerland, near the shores of Lake Geneva

            Among the rolling hills and scenic mountain countryside, there was a house. Built on the foundations that were as old as the Romans, the house was a grand thing in it's glory; but sadly it's glory had long since left it, leaving it a dark and foul thing that blighted the landscape.

The villagers that lived not too far from the structure only spoke of it's lone resident in hushed whispers before crossing themselves, as one of the previous owners of the house had gotten into a rather nasty habit of grave robbing, which in turn fueled rumors of dark magic and other fanciful things.

The owner's name was Frankenstein.

Victor Frankenstein

After his death almost one hundred years ago, the house and property had gone to his younger brother Ernest. Despite the scandal and accusations, Ernest managed to continue the line, although the house quickly fell into disrepair.

It was by now that the current Frankenstein took residence in the crumbling old estate. His name was Henirich Frankenstein, and aside from that there was little else to go on, as the man had never actually been seen outside his estate's walls.

Of course, the villagers didn't mind this so much, but the long procession that snaked it's way through the quiet streets it did mind.

            Leading the group was a woman. Despite the autumn chill she was dressed, if that was the term, in a brazenly short skirt and her golden hair woven up in bun. Behind her were three figures, their faces obscured by long black cloaks. The occasional flash of bare skin reveled their sex to be female. Each of the three was hauling a massive cart behind themselves with two equally massive boxes in each one.

The company made their way past the silent homes and watching eyes as they left the village and started on the path towards the house of Frankenstein.

Passing through the long unkempt path towards the house in utter silence, it was as if the very night was terrified of the strangers, the quartet was soon banging on the ancient wooden doors.

"Go away!" an older male voice shouted from a window high above the ground.

"Herr Frankenstein, we have come many miles to see you!" the blond shouted in heavily accented German.

"Then you have wasted your trip. I will not suffer trespassers on my property! Leave, before I unleash my hounds!" the man shouted back.

"We bring you a gift and a proposal Herr Frankenstein, a proposal that will enable you to gain revenge on those who have scorned you!" the blonde shouted in kind.

Those words seemed to have an effect on the man, as his shadow vanished from the window and several minutes later the group heard the old door being unlocked.

            Before them was tall man, his eyes hollow and his black hair plastered to his skull. "What do you want?" he sneered.

"Invite us in please, for the night is cold." the blond purred.

"You may step inside, but your companions may not enter."

"Very well" the blond sighed as she stepped over the threshold.

            "My, what a charming home you have!" she exclaimed as she took in the site of the old stone stairway and the sparsely furnished hall. "I did not invite you so you may comment on my taste in furnishings. I will ask only once more…what do you want?"

"Please allow me to introduce myself." The blond spoke softly as she dusted herself off near the weak fire that seemed threatened to burn out with each passing second.

"My name is Lucy Westenra, and I have come across the ocean of time to present you with a marvelous gift…on one condition."

"That being?"

"Your ancestor brought life to that which was not alive. We need you to do the same."

At this the man's face grew colder. "You think to barge into my home, insult me, and then you have the gall to ask for a favor?" he almost shouted, "Give me one reason why I shouldn't throw you to the dogs!"

            At this Lucy smiled as she exited the hall and reentered moments later hauling one of the massive boxes behind her. "I know you have been hounded across the continent and expelled from most of the finer universities for your interest in your ancestors work. I believe this might help your own research greatly."

Not waiting for an answer, she grabbed one side of the box and easily ripped the container apart, exposing the contents for Frankenstein to see.

"Good God!" he exclaimed as the contents slowly slid out.

            Before him was a large block of ice. It had melted somewhat, although what was inside the block he was able to see.

It was a man…a very large man. The man's skin was a sickly yellow color, while his black lips and pure white teeth were exposed in a horrified grimace. His milky eyes were halfway hidden behind heavily stitched lips and his coarse black hair was suspended above him a malevolent halo.

"It's him! The Creature!" Frankenstein shouted in amazement. "Where, you must tell me where!"

"The where is not important; but what is important is our offer. Accept it, and the Creature is yours. Refuse, and we take him with us." She said with a grin, reveling her sharpened canines to him.

"Very well, I'll have my man Fritz show your companions to their rooms."

"No" she demanded. "I fear it must you who invites them in. My companions are…peculiar about manners you know."

London

From the diaries of John Seward, MD

            _It has been a most unusual day. The inmates at the sanitarium, as if acting under unseen orders, were nearly comatose during the daylight hours but as the sun set they then launched into a full blown assault upon the orderlies and staff. I managed to escape, suffering only minor injures._

_The police and a small army unit were sent in to restore order. After a pitched battle more than half of the inmates were dead and dozens of others wounded._

_I know why this happened. I fear that somehow this is connected to my dream-that Dracula will return._

_Professor Van Helsing said that he killed Dracula's three brides, but I wonder. Dracula was centuries old, and his land was vast. Could it be possible that he had other women?_

Switzerland

            After seeing his guests to bed, Dr. Frankenstein had spent a restless night and day staring at his latest acquisition. "With this, the first blueprint, I can finally succeed were everything else failed." The ice that had contained the monster had melted, but sadly the creature showed no signs of life. "Amazing that this thing could survive for so long on the Artic. Perhaps it can finally show me what I've been doing wrong all this time" He thought as he loaded the creature into the cold room.

"I will find success where everyone else found death" he muttered as the sound of the door scrapping against the stone drew his attention away from his work.

            "Master, those guests are not asleep in their rooms, I can't find anywhere!" he heard a scratchy voice whine as the familiar 'clomp-climp' footsteps came closer.

"They can sleep out in the stable for all I care Fritz." He said as he faced the twisted shape of a man.

            Fritz wasn't the sharpest knife in the sheath, but despite his hunched back and other deformities, he wasn't as nearly as dense as he let others believe.

"Master, those women…do you think they will help us?"

"I neither know nor care. All I know is that they have brought one step closer to my goal. Whatever they are after can't be all that difficult for a man of my reach."

Later that evening

            Henrich was beginning to regret that earlier boast as his four guests seemed to float into the dining room.

"Miss Westenra, I had not planned on you arriving back so late."

"Yes, I fear from now on I and my companions will be away during the day. We will of course be with you at night. I trust you have enjoyed our gift?"

"Very much, now what exactly is it you want of me?"

            At this Lucy pulled out a large vase and placed it on the table near her untouched plate of food. "Here are the remains we need you to bring back."

Frankenstein nearly gagged on his wine; "My ancestor brought back a body that had been stitched by hand-you bring me a jar of dirt. How, pray tell, am I suppose to make that walk again?"

Lucy smiled, again showing her animal like teeth. "Mock all you wish, but this 'dirt' as you call it will walk again. We only have need of one key ingredient."

"Which is?"

"Blood" a raspy, yet still feminine voice whispered behind him. Quickly, Frankenstein was lifted out of his chair and slammed down onto the table by one of the three robed women while Lucy calmly lifted the top off of the jar.

"The blood is life Dr. Frankenstein. Your blood will restore our Master to life."

"Wait!" he wailed as Fritz shambled his way into the hall. "I'm here Master!" the hunchback cried as he pulled a crucifix out from his grimy smock, sending the four women recoiling back in horror.

            Rubbing his throat, Frankenstein moved back behind his assistant. "Leave my home" he ordered before Lucy moved forward. "Please Herr Frankenstein, your knowledge is the only thing that can restore our master to life! You must help us!"

"I am under no obligation to you, now leave my dwelling!" he shouted as Fritz advanced with the crucifix, making the women recoil in pain. "Please Doctor, we need blood. Both to survive and to bring our master back. With your genius, there must be a way, correct?"

The words seemed to sway the man. "Hold Fritz." He ordered his man before taking the hateful symbol in his hand and placing it in his coat pocket. "Alright, I let you stay and I give you the blood you need. What exactly do I get out of this arrangement?"

He was answered in turn as the three robed women discarded their robes to revel nothing underneath…

Later

            "Why must I always do all the heavy work?" Fritz grumbled as he poked his way through the dark forest. The sounds of men drinking gave him pause as he took shelter behind a large tree.

            Up ahead was a small tavern-Fritz had spent many a night getting drunk before his employment with the Master, so the location was not unusual to him.

What was unusual however was the young (and quite pretty he thought as he wiped drool off of his shirt) barmaid that had just exited the back door and was currently making her way towards the small shed behind the main building.

"Those foul women want blood do they? I'm sure that wench has enough to spare" Fritz darkly thought as he hobbled as fast as he could to the unsuspecting girl.

            Maria fumbled with the old brass to the shed when she heard a peculiar sound coming from behind her. Turning, she spied a horribly disfigured man lying prone on the ground.

The task that had called her out there forgotten, she rushed towards the moaning figure. "You poor man, are you injured badly?" she asked as she gently took his dirty head in her hands.

The next instant she was down on the ground, a large bloody gash across the bad of her head.

            Fritz looked down at the unmoving figure before him. "It's her neck or yours" he said softly as he wiped the spilled blood off of his walking onto his trousers before slinging the girl over his hump.

Looking around wildly (and being satisfied that no one saw him or that the girl's absence would be noticed) Fritz shambled off in the forest back towards the distant light of the relative sanctuary of Frankenstein.

Back in the cold room

Amidst the slabs of preserved meat, there was a stirring. The Creature slowly opened his eyes and tried to move.

Muscles that had not moved in nearly a full century screamed in protest as he tried in vain to sit up. Moaning incoherently as his long unseeing eyes took in of just where he was, there was only one thought racing through his brain

Revenge!

Back upstairs

Frankenstein quietly sipped his tea as the four women mulled about before him. The crucifix weighed heavily in his coat pocket as he stared at the four things before him.

The sound of the door opening nearly made him jump as Fritz hobbled in with a prone figure slung across his back. "I brought you what you asked!" he announced as he dropped the moaning girl on the floor like a sack of potatoes.

"Excellent, this girl will easily restore our Master to life!" Lucy proclaimed as the other three descended on the barely comprehending girl and dragged her over to the large jar.

Frankenstein could guess what they were about to do, although he felt no real sympathy or much of anything for the girl. "I am rather curious to see if they can pull it off" he thought as he placed his tea cup on a nearby table and stood up.

"Herr Frankenstein, do you not wish to bear witness to our triumph?" one of the three women asked as she held aloft a curved dagger.

"The realm of the supernatural holds no interest to me; I am a man of science." He said as he began to follow Fritz out of the room. Glancing over his shoulder, he cast a look at Lucy before closing the door. "But when you are finished, please send the remains to my laboratory. I have a few plans for it." he said cryptically.

            He heard the dagger swish through the air and slight gurgling noise before the door slammed shut. "I hope they lave enough of it in tact"

Inside

The four women watched in joyous rapture as the young woman's throat was easily sliced open and her life's blood flowed out of the wound and down into the jar as they held her upright.

As the blood flowed down into the jar, unearthly sounds began to fill the room.

The jar, as the blood poured down into it, began to shake. Tossing the girl's body aside without care, the foursome quickly bowed and began to mumble archaic verses around the jar.

            The shaking increased even as large cracks began to appear around it. "Master!" Lucy feverishly whispered as the blood, ash, and soil all mixed into each other to form a red mass that seeped through the large cracks to form a shapeless puddle around them.

The verse's increased in pitch as the jar finally cracked open, releasing the rest of mass. The slime began to shift around, oozing tentacles forming from it and feeling it's way around.

            "Master!" the three vampire brides chanted in unison as the tentacles gave way to arms and legs. The red mass began to solidify into a shape of man the women were quite familiar with.

"Dracula!" they shouted as the man before tore the remains of the blood and slime away from him.

            In the dim light of the chamber, they could see the man's white stringy hair and shriveled body as he clung to the table for support.

"How…how long?" he wheezed as the three brides rushed towards him and began to clean his body with their own. Lucy stayed off to the sides. "A little over thirty years Master"

"And you allowed me to rot for all that time?" he roared, sending the three brides to scurry away.

"It was rather difficult for me as well master, what with the large wooden stake that had been shoved through my chest"

Shambling over to her, Dracula stared the Englishwoman down with his hate-filled eyes. "Do you defy me?" he asked dangerously, the slime still clinging to bits of his wooly eyebrows and gnarled beard.

"No master, simply stating a fact. We have brought you back, so that the name Dracula can once again be used to spread terror."

            This seemed to mollify the man somewhat. "Very well, but to do so I need blood"

Lucy smiled, her fangs glistening in the dim light. "That, Master, won't be a problem."

The next day

            The sounds of a heavy something hammering away at the door was the first thing Fritz as he groggily reached for his cane and used the leverage to get himself out of bed. "Someone outside?" he thought as looked around.

But the sounds were coming from the lower depths of the castle, near the cold room. "I wonder…" he thought as he hobbled down the slimly spiral steps until he was face to face with the iron door.

            From outside he could something pounding on it and screaming in a high-pitched tone. "The Monster!" Fritz shivered as several fist-sized dents began to appear on the metal surface.

            Moments later

"Incredible!" Frankenstein marveled as the door continued to give way under the stress. "Master, shouldn't we do something?" Fritz whined as he hid behind the man. "No, not just yet. If my plan is to work, first he must know love, then fear. Control will come easily enough I think." He finished as the door gave way and before them stood something that defied the very laws of Nature.

            The Creature was as big as the ramblings of the old sea captain said, Frankenstein thought as he gripped a copy of Walton's diaries in his hand.

"Welcome!" Frankenstein said as the Creature stared down at them with confusion and hate in his milky eyes.

"Where?" he spoke at length, his voice high and filled with confusion.

"You are safe in my home." Frankenstein answered as he held his arms out in a non- threatening gesture. "Sit down" he said gently but forcibly.

The Creature, a look of dim understanding rather than hate, looked over to an old chair near the center of the room. Slowly, and with a deliberate limp, the creature sat down.

"Good!" Frankenstein said with a wide smile as he gently placed his hands on the creature's shoulders. "I want to help you. You may call me Henry. This" he said, pointing to Fritz, "is Fritz. He wants to help you as well."

The Creature furrowed his large brow at the words. "No…no one helps me. Fear me, hurt me!" he said, his voice rising in anger.

"Yes, yes they have. But have I done anything to you? I just want to be your friend."

This seemed to confuse the Creature. "Was…cold."

"Yes, and now you are warm, correct?"

"Yes…warm…good" the Creature decided at length.

"Excellent. Do you need anything, meat, drink?"

The Creature smiled at the words, his pearly white teeth in stark contrast to his black lips and ragged yellow flesh. "Food…good!"

"Very well, follow me upstairs and we will feed you to your hearts content."

Later-upstairs

            Frankenstein sat back contently as the Creature gorged himself on a large leg of lamb. Eating with both hands and refusing to say anything save for grunts and occasional demands for more wine or food, the Creature devoured nearly almost four legs and two and half sides before sitting back in a similar content manner as his host.

"Happy?" Frankenstein asked as Fritz removed the mountain of dishes from the table.

"Yes…" the Creature said before slumping over.

"Good. I put enough sedative in that wine to drug an elephant." Standing up, he motioned to Fritz to help him.

"We must take it away from here. Fritz, I want you to carry this and the other parts to my other laboratory."

"That old watchtower near Goldstadt? But Master, there would be no way we could hold that _freak_ in that run down place!"

"We wouldn't need to hold it there forever Fritz. Just long enough so that I might be able to find the secrets my ancestor took the grave with him. At which point I build my army, rid my home of these pesky bats, and then I show the world the price of scorning a Frankenstein."

            If Fritz had any objection to the plan, he said nothing as he grabbed the monster's enormous feet and began to pull. As he dragged the body, Frankenstein shot another look at his assistant. "I need the body intact; that doesn't mean it must still live. Understand?"

"Yes Master, yes!" Fritz nodded, his mood considerably brighter as he dragged the slumbering giant outside.

"You must get there before sundown. Dracula may have other agents at his disposal."

"Why did you agree to help him Master?" Fritz asked as dragged the body down the old stone steps.

Looking ruefully around the old manor, Frankenstein shrugged his shoulders. "A challenge I suppose. But I see now all they wanted was my blood in lieu of my genius. Don't worry; they will suffer for their actions soon enough. Now go, you're wasting daylight."

From the journal of John Seward, MD

_The feelings of unease have continued. A letter from my colleague Dr. Waldman arrived today. It seems that there has been a recent rash of various sorts of unsavory acts occurring in the small town of Goldstadt near the German/Swiss border. Acts such as grave robbing and murder; in which the victims of both crimes are found with either their blood drained dry and large portions of their anatomy missing. _

_I have already arranged travel plans and left my affairs in order._

_If Dracula has returned, then I must go._

_God preserve me_

One week later

            Frankenstein swallowed back the bile that was rising in his throat as he opened the door to the crypt beneath his home. The three brides and Lucy were all sitting around the decrepit figure that was perched in the center of the room, noisily slurping away on a large rat.

            The figure looked up from his meal before dropping the disgusting thing to the floor. "I see you are the one who gave us aide?" he said in a thick and nearly unintelligible accent.

"Yes Count, but allow me to make formal introductions. My name is Baron Henirich Frankenstein, and you are indeed in my home."

"Good" Dracula said at length. "Leave Me," he ordered his wives as the four of them slinked out of the dank room. Turning his attention back to the only human there, he gave a sinister smile as he approached.

"There is much that we can offer each other Baron. From one noble family to another."

"Yes, your brides told me as much, but I fail to see just what I can offer someone such as your self." Frankenstein said with mock modesty.

"I am old Baron, and even my brides can not give me enough nourishment I need to regain my place in the world. What I purpose is simple; while my brides gather victims, I keep the blood and you may have the rest, after we have turned a few of them of course. I trust they gave you your ancestor's work with little incident?"

"No Count, there were no problems to be had. So we become generals of an army of undead and creatures that never were? Interesting, Count, Interesting. I think this may be a most…_interesting_ partnership the world has ever seen." Frankenstein said with a knowing grin as the older creature before him signaled for his brides to enter.

            Leaving the five to their decadent ways, Frankenstein smiled as he left. "Things are going even smoother than I dare dreamed!" he thought as he raced back upstairs. "Now if I can sway the Monster to my side, then I'll simply dispose of those foul things have the power for myself!"

From the Journal of John Seward, MD

            _The trip over the Channel was mercifully uneventful. I managed to convince the customs agents that the sharpened wooden stakes and bottles of holy water in my bags were not tools of mischief. Dr. Waldman met at the train station and we shared a coach to a nearby inn._

_            The smells of roasted meat and the drowning of beer brought back many fond memories of my youth, but I had little time to think back._

_            "John, this may sound insane, but I fear I know what is behind the recent attacks in this area" Waldman whispered as the serving maid made her way towards the kitchen with an empty tray._

_"Yes, vampires." I answered as I gave my bag a reassuring pat._

_It was at this that Waldman gave me a queer look. "Vampires? John, what are you going on about? The police have figured it to be a madman, and with your experience with the mentally disturbed I assumed that this case would right up your alley."_

_I'm not sure if I wanted to cry or scream at those words. "Vampires are quite real, I can assure you of that. I fear that these killings may be the work of the undead."_

_It was at this that Waldman almost sniggered as he cut into the bloody beef before him. "John, I am surprised at you. A man of your learning and you go on about spooks and goblins. We're men of learning and science John, the supernatural need not apply._

_            Before our argument could spill over, the entire inn was silenced as a peculiar figure entered. It was a man, but his back was severely deformed. The patrons turned a cold eye to him as he sat in the far corner and nursed a small pint of beer. _

_Naturally asking whom the stranger was, Waldman raised a curious eye and leaned in to whisper. "I haven't the slightest idea; he's new around here and from what the locals are saying he's taken residence in an old watchtower near the edge of town. Strange fellow it seems-I've heard that he has no want of money, and he buys enough meat to supply a small army. Yet look at the way he dresses" Waldman added, pointing out the missing sleeve on the man's jacket and the mud encrusted boots._

_I agreed with Waldman about the stranger's unkempt appearance, yet more pressing matters were on my mind._

_"Have there been any cases of people complaining of small animal bites around the throat? The wound would look like two small puncture marks" I tried to bring the conversation back._

_My only answer was this, word for word: "John, the police have only found pieces of people, and I can assure you that no one has complained of anemia, or show any aversion to daylight or the cross."_

_It's times like this that I question my choice in friends._

_After drifting off into more urban subjects, we parted ways. Waldman had an appointed with the Burgomaster, where as I headed upstairs to my quarters._

_When out talks went back to the subject of the undead, I couldn't help but notice that the strange little man seemed to be staring at the two of us. _

_I think I'll be sleeping with a loaded pistol tonight._

-Watchtower

            "Damn, damn, damn!" screamed Fritz as he knocked the ramshackle furniture over. "They know, that blasted doctor and that stranger know!"

Looking around wildly, Fritz suddenly broke into a wide grin as he grabbed his latest purchase from the butcher and hobbled his way down the stairs as an evil idea began to form in his hideous features.

The closer he came to the downstairs the louder the pounding became. Turning a side corner, he fiddled with an old iron key on his belt as he held the wrapped up meat in one hand. The lock opened as the noise suddenly stopped as Fritz carefully opened the door wide.

            The Creature swooped down from the shadows and snatched him up; the meat spilling to the floor. Fritz screamed as the monster glared down at him. "Where…am I?' it asked slowly.

"You're safe, you're safe!" Fritz screamed in panic, as the monster seemed to be weighing his words. "You have brought me food, yet you keep me locked up. Why?" the monster demanded, his voice no longer shaky and his tone commanding.

"To keep you safe from those that would harm you!" Fritz screeched as he thrashed about in the monster's hands. The creature dropped Fritz to the floor without a second thought as he grabbed big scooping handfuls of the meat still on the floor. In between mouthfuls, the creature continued to stare at Fritz.

"I remember chasing my Creator to the Artic, and then little else. Why am I here and for what purpose?" he demanded as he stood up.

Fritz cowered even more as he stared up into the gruesome face. "My Master, Master Henry, wants to help you! He brought you out of the ice and snow, so that you might live again!" Fritz quickly spoke, trying to recall the exact words Frankenstein told him to say.

"Pretty words, but there was another man who brought me to life once before. He betrayed me and for that I made his a living hell. How do I know your precious Master won't do the same?" the Creature demanded.

"You must trust us! If you agree to help my Master, he will give you anything-anything you could ever want!"

            The words seemed to strike a cord with the monster's breast as he sat quietly against the wall. "Anything you say? Since the day of my creation, mankind has feared me. I am all alone; unique throughout all of Creation. If…if perhaps your Master could create for me a mate, someone whose hideousness matches my own, then I will gladly aide your Master with all my heart!" the Creature proclaimed.

"That is good, my Master will be pleased at this. You may roam around this tower, but you may not leave it. There has been some…attacks by wild creatures, and the villagers might think you responsible."

The Creature did not seem to take to that particular order very well, but he said nothing against it as Fritz left, leaving the cell door open. "I must go and inform my Master. I shall return in a day or so. I have left ample food and drink upstairs." Fritz hurriedly said as he hobbled outside. Before he came to the main door he glanced back at the Creature. "Remember what I said…stay inside!"

Frankenstein Manor-nearly a day later

            Frankenstein sat among the relics of his family after Fritz told of the development of the Creature. "Interesting. He wants a mate, does he? Tell me Fritz, just how successful have your forays been?"

Fritz nervously glanced around the room before speaking. "I'm sorry Master, but I've only managed to kill a few healthy people, and the locals are getting nervous. I've hidden most of the parts in the old windmill near the tower, but it's only a matter of time before someone finds them."

"You're not thinking of leaving my services so soon, are you Fritz?" The Baron asked as his demeanor suddenly became colder. "No Master, no! It's just that such risks are becoming dangerous, and the Count…"

"Yes…and I fear that the Count and his brides are not too particular in leaving any body they find in usable condition. We will have to make do with what we have at hand Fritz. I shall begin to prepare the army that the Count wants here in my own laboratory at night, and in the day I shall create my own force with that Creature's aide."

"But Master, why the deception?"

"Because Dracula has plans to increase his power through me. My forces shall run during the day, while he rules the night. I've found his existence interesting, but I feel that this partnership now no longer holds my interest. That is why Fritz" he answered simply as he sipped his tea.

"But I suspect Dracula might have some doubts about myself as well. I've spent almost the entire day looking and not once was I able to find his coffin or the coffins of his brides."

            Gazing out the window, the pair saw the sun beginning its eventual descent. "Master, I almost forgot, there was a man in the village, he was talking about vampires!"

"Really? What sort of man?" Henirich asked; his interest now piqued as he began to close the curtain on the fading rays of sun.

"I overheard that his name is John Seward. He's a doctor of some kind."

A devilishly thin smile appeared over Frankenstein's face as he thought about the new development.

"Hmm, that name is familiar. Perhaps the Count should be made aware of this."

Almost as if on cue, the doors to the study swung open and Lucy entered.

            "Baron, there is a small matter that we must discuss." She spoke softly as she sat across from the baron, her silky thighs exposed in the short skirt she wore. "My Master is too weak, and I fear that he must go back to his home in Transylvania in order to be with his native soil."

"And you?"

"Well…let's just say I am in no need for dirt. The other brides will accompany him, and a band of my Master's gypsies have already been summoned to begin the process of taking him home." She staged whispered as Henirich couldn't help but notice that Lucy seemed to lacking in undergarments as she stretched in the chair.

Turning to his man, Frankenstein finished "Fritz, go and make the preparations we discussed. Miss Westenra and I have _other_ things to discuss" he lecherous ordered as Fritz hurriedly left the room.

Several hours later, on the road back to Goldstadt

            Fritz cursed under his breath as the cold wind howled through the forest. The constant trips had done little for his steed, which had the misfortune to break its leg, leaving him stuck.

Walking for as long as he had, he almost sobbed with relief as he saw the welcome sight of the watchtower before him.

Seeing a light on near the top, his relief vanished as he rushed towards the structure, his cane at the ready.

After finding the door still locked, he breathed a sigh of relief as he unlocked the door and let himself in. Checking on the spare parts reveled that nothing had been disturbed; Fritz turned his attention to the other source of his annoyance.

            Making his way up the stairs, Fritz spied the monster sitting in front a candle, apparently warming himself with the small flame.

"What are you doing?" Fritz demanded as he rushed forward and put the flame out, plunging the room into darkness.

"I was cold, and the fire was warm." The Creature said in a matter of fact tone.

"Yes, but this tower is supposed to be deserted. If someone had seen the light, then they would been snooping around!" Fritz angrily shouted.

The Creature shrugged his massive shoulders, seemingly unconcerned with the potential problem. "Have you discuss my needs with Henry?" he asked at length.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, yes I have. He agrees. He'll make your bride as soon as he has the parts."

The Creature's mood went from relaxed to agitated with those few words. "He will? Then why hasn't he already started?"

"Because he doesn't have them. My horse died, so until I find another one the parts stay here."

            As Fritz suddenly found his neck in the monster's grip, hr thought that perhaps that was the wrong phrase to use.

"If he agrees and you components needed, then we will make her. NOW" he growled. "But, the horse!"

"I have the strength of a dozen beasts. I will carry her!"

A short while later, near the old windmill

            The work had gone by quick; within the hour the two of them had loaded the remains of the various women into large bundles. "This might be the easiest thing I've ever done!" Fritz gleefully chortled as he tied up the last bundle.

Sounds outside told him otherwise though; looking out through a broken window, Fritz dropped the bundle in a panic when he saw the all too familiar outline of a torch-wielding mob.

Hearing the voices of the mob growing closer, Fritz scrambled outside where he ran headlong into the Creature. "What's wrong?" he asked as he hefted his bundle up. "Men, they are coming! Quick, you must hide. Follow us, and rescue me when I saw."

"I could crush the lost of them." the Monster said forcefully. "Yes, but that would delay us, and it would also bring attention to you. Neither of which Master Henry would want. Just do as I say!" Fritz ordered. The Monster looked confused before dashing off into the night.

From the Journal of John Seward, MD

            _It was from Waldman that I heard the news. Following the accounts of a witness to the latest attack, a posse of armed men was formed. Making their way through the_ _woods, they came across the hunchbacked man, 'Fritz' as he was skulking about an old abandoned windmill. He was taken after a brief struggle, when a grisly discovery was made inside. The missing parts of the victims were inside, convincing Waldman and the locals that they had caught their man._

_Was I wrong? Was I so convinced in Dracula's return that I was blinded to the facts?_

_I had to find out for myself; with a little bit of persuasion I managed to get past the angry mob outside the jail cell and see the man in person._

_His gibbering tongue and manic eyes brought to mind poor old Renfield, dead these past years. He said nothing directly to me, but instead seemed to be whispering to someone or something unseen outside the cell window._

_I had thought that perhaps my earlier theory was right, but again I was wrong when a monstrous form ripped it's way through the stonewall. The pair easily escaped in the confusion, but I distinctly recall over hearing the creature demanding something about a 'Henry' making him a mate._

_Most peculiar_

Several miles out of Goldstadt

            Fritz cackled with joy as he whipped the horses, the night breeze alive in his face. "Lucky you found this cart, eh?" he asked over the howling wind to the silent Creature sitting in the back.

"Yes, but how long shall it be before my bride lives?" the Creature questioned. Fritz shrugged his shoulders as storm clouds began to roll across the night sky.

            As the rain began to fall and the lighting flash across the sky, Fritz pulled back on the reins when he saw the welcome sight of a fire coming closer.

"Hmm, gypsies. I'm sure they won't mind sharing with us some of their food?" "If I must wait for a companion, then you must wait on dinner" Fritz asked before the Creature snapped back.

Grumbling, Fritz urged the horses forward before a large something dashed in front of them, nearly causing the steeds to panic. "What was that?" the Creature demanded as he tried to keep the various spare parts from spilling out. "It looked like a large dog. Whatever it is, it's heading towards that camp" Fritz squinted through the rain as he saw dark shapes thrashing about the campfire light. Screams and the retorts of a rifle echoed in the woods. "Hmm, maybe we should stop-there's bound to some pieces left over that the Bar…um, Master Henry, could use" Fritz spoke, hoping the Creature hadn't noticed his slip.

As the two unlikely companions hid the cart of horses, the sounds of a woman's weeping greeted them. Slinking in through the undergrowth, they saw the reasons why:

Before them was a gypsy camp with a warm fire around it. But around the fire were the silhouettes of several still forms.

An old woman, her eyes a dull white, helplessly clawed at the empty while softly weeping. A rifle, its owner's hands still clinging to the trigger, lay smashed on the ground; it's owner laying several yards away propped up against a wagon wheel.

            Looking around the destroyed site, Fritz smiled as he began to loot. Taking spilled coins, scraps of food, and even a few limbs, he grinned as if Father Christmas himself had left the carnage.

"Come on, come on!" he chided as the Creature simply stared at the weeping woman. "We don't much time, and the rain is getting worse, now" but his words were lost as he suddenly tripped over something and sprawled hump first into the mud.

"What was that?" he demanded. Grabbing a still lit brand from the fire, he nearly shouted in joy as he saw a young woman, her back nearly shredded. "Come over here! I found a fresh one! Why, this could easily replace the parts we had to leave back in town!" Fritz smiled as he grabbed the woman's ankles, only to find his joy short lived when she let out a low moan.

"Damn wolves" he grumbled as the Creature silently walked over to him. "Perhaps we should leave her." The Creature suggested as the old woman struggled to crawl over to them.

"No, she was bitten by the werewolf!" the old woman cried as she crawled in their direction.

Fritz gazed down suspiciously at the still moving woman. "So? She'll be dead soon enough" he rationalized as he dragged the girl back towards the cart.

The Creature stared on, his face devoid of emotion. Looking to the old woman, then to Fritz, the Creature seemed confused until the ranting of the hunchback drew him out of his state.

"No, you must kill her before the rise of the next full moon, or all of your souls will be damned!" the old woman begged.

"Stupid nonsense!" Fritz cursed as the Creature helped him sling the bloody form of the woman into the back of the cart. "Come on, we have no time to waste!" Fritz urged as the Creature silently climbed next to the moaning woman.

With a crack of the whip, the cart began its journey, leaving the old woman to hurtle curses at them from a distance.

Transcript of letter from John Seward, MD, to Mr. Vogel, Burgomaster

_Mr. Vogel_

_            I am forwarding this letter to you so that you may be ready for our arrival. In Goldstadt, Germany there has been a rash of vicious attacks and grave-robbery. The perpetrators of these acts are, as confirmed by both the confessions of one of the men and several credible eyewitness accounts, the following"_

_Fritz (last name believed to be Frye but more than likely an alias)_

_An as of yet unnamed accomplice; being of great size and strength I cannot urge you to take enough precautions when dealing with the two of them._

_Fritz was in police custody when his unnamed partner aided him in escape via partially removing part of the jail wall._

_From there they stole two horses and a cart and headed south. It is believed that they are tempting to cross over into Switzerland. _

_These two should be considered both armed and extremely dangerous._

_John Seward, MD_

Several days later

            "So, you say this peasant trollop you picked was near death?" Frankenstein asked as he ate his morning breakfast at a leisurely pace. "Yes master, she was!" Fritz protested.

"Well, judging by the screams she has been making for the past hour I think your diagnosis is incorrect." He spoke before pushing his plate away.

            Standing by the large window that overlooked the land around them, Frankenstein drew back the curtain and stared into the world.

The sky was overcast, with only the barest hint of sunlight to be seen. Dark thunderclouds rolled ever onward, rumbling ominously. "Judging by the weather, we shall have plenty of lighting for the experiment." He said happily as Fritz cleared away the table.

"Think of it Fritz, an army of beings who never really lived; waiting for my command to rise up and serve me!" he said with a mad glint in his eye as the storm clouds grew in kind.

"When shall we start Master?"

"Tonight I think; the storm must be at it's strongest"

Elsewhere

            Amira moaned in recollection of the events of the past day or so. "That wolf attacked out camp…where am I?" she asked to the silent room as she blinked away the sleep in her eyes.

Sliding out of the large four-poster bed, she slowly (with the bed sheets wrapped around her nude frame) made her way to the door. "It's locked!" she cursed as the ornate door refused to budge.

Looking around, she saw no other exits save for the window (which overlooked nothing expect a near vertical drop).

Grabbing two wrought iron candlesticks, she wrapped them up in a pillowcase. "It will have to do…" she thought as she gave the makeshift weapon a few practice twirls.

Meanwhile

            The Creature paced back and forth in the dungeon. "I can barely recall seeing this 'Henry', yet why does the mere thought of him make my blood boil? And all those parts; surely he has no need for so many…unless he intends to make more than one. But if not for me, then who?" the Creature furrowed his stitched together brow in thought as he then decided it was time to see just what this Henry had in store…

Upstairs

            "Master, I think that monster is getting suspicious!" Fritz whined.

"Hmm, you reminded me of something. Throw the gypsy girl in with him. But tell him to watch her or some matter like that. Make him feel important."

            "But master, why? If she is a werewolf, then we must kill her before the full moon!"

"Which is, by my count, a good three weeks away. Pardon if I think we would be jumping the gun. No, let that freak watch over her. I will gain my revenge on that misshapen thing soon enough and as for her, well, I could always use a spare organ or two."

Back in the guest room/cell

            Amira crouched by the door, her hastily assembled club at the ready. Hearing voices drawing closer, she leaned against the wall and began to twirl her weapon.

The door opened slowly, but she couldn't wait. Grabbing the open door in one hand she yanked it out of the stranger's grasp while slamming the loaded pillowcase into the man's head.

The ugly misshapen man went down with a yelp as she jumped over him and started to look for a way out.

            "Spirited little fox, aren't you?" a cold voice said behind her. Whirling around, she was confronted with a well-dressed man holding a syringe in one hand. "Where am I?" she demanded as she began to twirl the case around again.

"You are in my home. I see the reports of your injures were somewhat exaggerated. It is regretful, but I fear I have a greater need for your body than you." The man said calmly, as if talking about the topic was simply business to him.

"Stay back!" she yelled as the man approached. "Or what? Hit me with that crude thing? Even if you disabled me, I rather doubt you would get out of this area alive. Now be a good little girl and" his words were then cut off as she slammed the silk wrapped candlesticks over the man's head.

"I'll take my chances," she muttered as she began to dash down the hall and towards (she hoped) freedom.

            Which turned out to be a short jog; no sooner had she began her run then the now recovered Fritz slammed her into the wall. The impact sent her head snapping back, making the very walls around her swim.

            Picking the now dazed woman up (after removing the weapon from her hands), Fritz checked on Frankenstein. "Master, are you injured?" he asked.

"Fritz, I just had two candlesticks that weigh nearly four pounds each slammed into my head. I think that speaks for itself" he snidely remarked as he rubbed the now visible bruise. Pointing towards Amira, he picked up the dropped syringe. "Put her down here. I'll give her this sedative right now. It should be enough to keep her asleep until we have need of her."

"Master, what's that?" Fritz asked as the crudely wrapped bed sheets fell away to revel Amira's nude form.

"Hmm?" Frankenstein questioned as he stared down at the female flesh before him. "What are you pointing at…oh, I see" his tone changed as he too noticed a peculiar mark of the woman's left breast.

            "It appears to be a small circle, with an upside down five-pointed star". Frankenstein said as he examined the mark. "No doubt a tattoo of some kind. Damn, this might change everything! Fritz, have the monster look after her." He ordered as he walked over to a small cabinet and pulled out what looked like a tube and a small jar. "I'll need to sample her blood first before we include her in the process. Tattoos are a dangerous thing Fritz, why, is this mark was made with a dirty needle then she could have diseased blood. She could ruin the entire experiment!" Frankenstein raved as he took a small sample of blood and tissue from the drugged woman before wrapping her back up.

"Give her to the monster; hopefully that will keep him occupied until tonight and out of both our hair and the Count's."

Later that evening

            The storm had continued to rage all day, almost as if the very heavens themselves were weeping at what was about to transpire.

In a tall tower, connected to the main Frankenstein house, a causal observer might have noticed a large kite flying high in the winds.

            Down below, Frankenstein was busy making last minute adjustments to the bizarre device that surrounded him.

Laid out, like slabs of meat in a butcher shop, were nearly a dozen bodies, all of them wrapped head to toe in bandages. "I see you are at least thorough in your precautions" the voice of Lucy rang out over the lighting.

"Yes well…such measures are necessary after all. Where's Dracula?" "Hmm? Oh, he's already left…they left early morning with a small band of his gypsies."

"Why wasn't I told?" he demanded as Fritz, the Creature, and the now groggy Amira entered the lab.

"You didn't ask. Besides, you can simply give your creations to me and I will make sure they reach Transylvania safely." Lucy said with a smile that did little to reassure him.

            The booming of the thunder drowned out anything else she was going to say. Turning his attention away from the undead interloper, Frankenstein busied himself with the last minute preparations.

"Master, we're here!" he heard Fritz calling. Seeing both the hunchback and the Creature (with a tied up Amira slung over his back), he simply waved them aside.

"Fritz, go check on the controls to make sure the connectors are fully charged. As for you" he added as he looked the Creature over, "Go stand guard over that girl. You may pick your bride once I've finished."

            The lighting increased as the storm seemed almost like a living being. A bolt arched out of the sky and nailed the kite, sending uncountable amounts of pure electrical engery surging down the line into the machines below.

With a shower of sparks and a series of thrown switches caused the wrapped bodies to convulsive wildly as life began to return to the remains. "They're alive…they're alive….THEY'RE ALIVE!" Frankenstein screamed in triumph as the bodies began to jerk on their own and in a few cases, scream.

"Fritz, quickly man shut off the power!" he shouted over the rising din. "Where is my mate?" the Creature demanded as he stepped forward, placing himself between the baron and his creations. "Oh very well, take your pick!" he brushed him off as the Creature walked over to the nearest one.

With one tug he ripped the bandages, reveling a face that, despite the few scars around the base of the neck, was stunningly perfect.

"What mockery is this?" the Creature roared as he shoved Frankenstein aside and tore the wrappings off of the rest of the beings. With each discovery his anger grew as he stared down into faces filled beauty, lacking any traces of the ugliness that marked his own features.

"You tricked me! They're not hideous!" the Creature growled as he advanced on Frankenstein, who simply stood his ground.

"True, for you see I learned from you and my ancestor's mistakes." He said calmly as he pressed a button, causing the various new creatures' bounds to be free.

"Destroy him!" Frankenstein ordered, as several of the new women simply slid to the ground, their limbs flaying helplessly. The Creature seemed even angrier by this, as noted by his ripping a empty table free of it's supports and wielding it like a club. "Fritz, help me!" Frankenstein screamed as he noticed that more than half of his own creations seemed to be quite capable of rational thought, as they too turned their eyes towards him and began to advance.

"I must say Frankenstein, these creatures of your are amazing. So easy to control, why all I have to do is gaze at them and they serve me with no hesitation." Lucy casually said as she draped her arms around the closest two and began to walk away.

            The mentioning of the name 'Frankenstein' brought forth a new wave of anger in the Creature as he raised the operating table high over head. "Frankenstein?" he roared, his rage almost dwarfing the storm by comparison. With a howl of anger he swung the table at the rapidly losing composure figure of Frankenstein.

"Fritz you fool, save me!" he screamed at his assistant. "I'm coming master!" the hunchback shouted back as he grabbed a torch and whip from the wall and began to make his way towards the pair.

            But the would be brides took notice of him, and slowly began to intercept the hunchback. "Away!" he cried as he cracked his whip. The brides collectively hissed like angered swans before leaping upon the man. "Master, save me!" he cried as the patchwork women fell upon him, biting and clawing as they attacked the face that had brought them to their current state.

Bloody, his clothing and flesh in tatters, Fritz ran blindly away from the horde of women. "Master, I can't die like this, not with so much blood on my hands!" he screamed once more as he, in his flight, failed to stop as he ran headlong through a large window and stumbled out onto a balcony.

            Frankenstein saw the mob of women lurch, stumble, and even crawl out towards the man. He heard Fritz's agonized scream; a scream that grew fainter as he witnessed the women pick Fritz up and hurtle him off of the tower.

            With a snarl and the smashing of more equipment, his attention was brought back to the Creature. "You used me!" he screamed as he slammed the table around wildly. As the Creature's rampage drew closer to the very engines that brought the would-be brides to life, Frankenstein threw up his arms in protest. "No you fool, if you destroy that machine you'll blow us all to atoms!"

The Creature stopped and looked around; the strange woman whom Frankenstein called Lucy has left, with about an even eight of the newly created women. The rest had followed Fritz in his death spiral off of the tower. Leaving him with the now awake gypsy girl Amira, Frankenstein himself, and one other bride. "None of use deserve to live" the Creature said simply pinned the Baron against the wall. Frankenstein screamed in agony as the Creature continued to push…

            Amira, now fully awake, looked around at the living hell that she had dropped in. She screamed in horror as the Creature, armed with a table, killed the man she recognized as her jailer by cutting him sloppily in two with a table. The man let out a sharp scream before she saw his legs fall away from the rest of him.

With the table now firmly imbedded in the wall, the Creature turned around and eyed Amira and the still bandaged person on another table.

With out warning, he calmly reached over and pulled a lever. Amira could actually feel the floors vibrating as the machines began to work in overdrive. Whole sections of the ceiling began to fall, but above the noisy din, Amira heard a muffled cry for help. Ignoring the Creature (who simply stood amidst carnage with a sad smile of his face) Amira rushed towards the figure. "Hang on, I'll free you!" she shouted as she clawed at the restraints and bandages. The figure flayed wildly as she managed to undo most of the straps.

Grabbing her off of the table (and not seconds before a large portion of the roof caved in and reduced the table to a piece of metallic pulp), Amira and the stranger made a mad dash for the stairs.

Glancing back at the Creature, Amira tried to shout a warning at him as the machines behind him suddenly erupted, separating them by a hungry wall of fire. The Creature, before the flames obscured him, shot a look at her and the strange figure in bandages. "Go." He said silently as the roof and walls began to succumb to the heat and smoke. Nodding silently, Amira grabbed the stranger by the hand and ran like a demon down the stairs and into the night.

As the pair exited the blazing tower, Amira looked up into the moonless night sky, and felt a strange burning in her chest. She ignored it and looked at the person she had saved.

The curves suggested a female, and this was confirmed after the stranger pulled away the rest of the bandages around the face. Amira gasped at the woman's face.

The flesh was pale enough to almost be blue, with zigzagging stitches down her face, looking as if she had been assembled like a toy.

"Are you…alright?" Amira asked hesitantly as she stared into unsightly face. The woman simply looked back at her with uncomprehending eyes and screamed.

From the Journal of John Seward, MD

            _It has been almost a week and a half since the breakout of the hunchback. Getting the necessary paperwork to cross over the border has proven to more difficult than I imagined. I swear that they appoint anyone burgomaster these days._

_I finally managed to make it across the border on my own. Following the path of the two fugitives was easy enough, but I felt a mixture of relief as I found the their hideout in a small village on the shores of Lake Geneva._

_I felt both relief and apprehension as I arrived, only to find both men dead. The hunchback had been thrown from a great height, and as for the giant there was no trace, but the village doctor assured me that he perished in the blaze._

_Note: the fire, which claimed the giant's life, had destroyed the home of a local baron…a rather unpopular man named Frankenstein. I could hardly get a clear explanation, save a fire started and claimed the entire house._

_I did some information, which puzzles me. Before the fire, several villagers reported that they spied a caravan of gypsies leaving which several large boxes; which only cements my theory that Dracula has risen again. But several witness lay claim that a foreign women left as the fire started in the company of several strange women, many of whom bore resemblance to recently missing or deceased women._

_The only witnesses to the actual fire were two women, both of whom were detained in the local jail. I have finally been given access to them, to see if my idea was correct_.

            The sky was a dull gray; the threat of snow seemed to loom over the quaint village. Down the cobbled streets the handful of people who decided to brave the weather went about their tasks.

            Dr. Seward drew his coat around himself closer as he approached the police station. Seeing the old man in an ill-fitting uniform sitting behind the desk, Seward reached into his bag and pulled out a letter.

            "Good afternoon" he said in poorly accented German. "I am Dr. Seward, I wired ahead of my coming?"

            The old officer looked at the equally old doctor with half-asleep eyes and nodded. "Yes, the burgomaster received your posts." The policeman grabbed a large set of keys out of a drawer and moved down the hall towards the holding cells.

"Those two…very strange. The first one looked like a barmaid that was reported missing last month, and other was just some gypsy. We're holding them until they either talk or at least give us some names."

"You mean they've been held all this time and you don't even know who they are?" Dr. Seward asked.

"Well, this is a small village Herr Doctor, and we lack many things." The man sniffed as they traveled lower into the building's basement. "This is the strange one. We think she is a mute. But be careful, she is more dangerous than she looks." The officer warned as he unlocked the door.

From the journal of John Seward, MD

            _After braving the sudden cold and incompetent officials, I finally found myself face to face with the people who might be able to give me the answer I seek._

_I visited the mute first. The poor girl was chained to a large wooden chair, with the chains constricting her every movement. The poor thing looked at me at tried to hold her scared hands up, but the chains prevented it. She opened her mouth and while I think she possess all the capabilities of speech, she simply could not pronounce a single word._

_After trying to wring some answers out of the girl (she seems to comprehend what is going on, but lacks the skills to communicate---I must remember to wire that specialist in the states about this case), I then went to question the other girl found with her._

_            The cell in which the gypsy was kept in was not much better than her companion's. Instead of a chair, the only thing the cell had for furnishings was a soiled mat of straw. _

_The girl…reminded me of someone. She spoke a little English, which spared me the trouble of butchering any foreign tongues. From what I understood, her name was Amira. Fritz (she wasn't aware of his name) and the giant had taken her from her family after a large wolf had attacked them. She described horrors that went on in the castle that make my own experiences seem like a walk in the park. _

_The baron, a foul man by the name of Frankenstein, had kidnapped her (as well as being the one responsible for the kidnappings and assaults that have gone on in both this village and in Germany), and she was witness to an unholy experiment._

_The Baron was attempting to create life from the dead. From what she described, the man succeeded. I could tell that she left out of many details, such as the girl in the cell down the hall. Was she part of the experiments? I did manage to get a few more details from her, such as the Baron was apparently working with a woman. She did witness some of the Baron's creations leaving, with their destination in mind._

Transylvania 

One week later-just after sunset

            The land of Transylvania has seen it's fair share of bloodshed. It is said that the land is no longer fit to grow because the blood of a thousand armies stains it. Thoughts of this nature were, in all likelihood, not on the mind of whoever was driving the rather expensive automobile through the rocky pass.

The car whizzed past crooked trees and blasted rock, often taking hairpin turns at speeds that would make the most hearty of drivers faint. The car speed faster and faster, until all at once, it came to a screeching halt.

Before the car was a single road, which lead up to a crumbling old castle. 

Large chunks were missing from the ancient battlements as a dozens of bats flew out past the castle as the car's lights blinked before going out.

            Lucy emerged from the back, dressed in a scandalously short skirt and her hair done up. Smiling as six robe clad figures emerged from the car, she leaned down and spoke softly to the unseen driver.

"Just keep the engine running love"

            The group, with Lucy in the front, made their way up the cracked stone steps and towards the massive door at the top. A crest with a snarling wolf stared down at them as Lucy grabbed the wrought iron knocker and pushed the door open. The wood screamed in protest and she could see dozens of spiders being disrupted as the door tore down several hundred intricately weaved webs that clung to almost everything in the grand hall.

            "No welcome? Now that is simply rude" Lucy chided as she effortlessly made her way past the spider-webs and to the staircase. "Follow" she spoke as the robed figures marched in unison behind her, slowly tearing their way through the webs and centuries of dust that built itself up on the floor.

Past the crumbling walls and moldy portraits of past rulers, Lucy made her way to another door. Unlike the others she wasted no strength in simply opening, but rather smashed it down with a single blow.

            Carefully going down the slimly stone steps, Lucy felt the chill of the dungeon on her skin as she carefully made her way down.

"So, you have finally decided to join us" a sinister voice spoke out from the darkness.

"Yes my Master, and I bring the fruits of Frankenstein's genius"

            From out of the darkness emerged a man, clad only in rags and flanked by the same three women.

"You have returned Lucy, and yet why do I smell betrayal on you?" Dracula spoke harshly as the three brides stepped in front of him.

"Possibly because of my perfume. Or maybe it is because I do intend to kill all three of you." Lucy said simply as she stepped back, allowing the six brides to step forward.

Dracula simply laughed as he leaned back against the stone pillar, his lips still crimson from feeding. "Really, and just how could you accomplish what thousands of others have tried?"

"I could do this" Lucy shouted the last word as she ducked behind the steps as the six brides ripped off their robes to revel six large crosses adorning every inch of their unnatural bodies.

"You betrayer!" Dracula howled at the sight as the three Vampire brides rushed to protect their master.

"I believe you just said that" Lucy said as she made her way back up the stairs. "So, this is how it ends? And just where will you go?" Dracula shouted as the brides of Frankenstein ushered him back further into the dungeon.

"Really Count, do you expect me to revel my plans so soon? I'm not some villain in a penny dreadful you know." Lucy smiled as she raised her hand.

Two of the brides nodded and dropped their crosses. Breaking the wooden symbols, they rushed toward the three vampire brides and easily staked the trio.

"So, this is how it ends?" Dracula snarled as he picked up a long disused sword and stared down the undead things before him. "I fear you will find me a far difficult thing to kill!" he roared as he swung the through the air…

BANG

The sword fell to the dank floor with a clang as he slumped forward, his chest bloody. "What…why does this burn?" he cried as Lucy twirled what looked like a modified policeman's service revolver around her finger.

"Silver, with the cross etched into tip just for a special kick" Lucy smiled as Dracula slumped to the ground moaning. "It's the twentieth century Count; the world doesn't need monsters like you anymore."

"Stake him, and burn the body. Only this time we separate the head" she ordered as she took aim again and fired…

            From the Journal of John Seward, MD

_Thanks in part to my conversation with Amira, I now know where my foe is hiding. He obviously has recruited more innocent women as his pawns, and I have no doubt that he has gone back to his ancient castle to recuperate._

_I managed to convince the jailer that the two charges would be better off in my care. I believe that they will in aide me. The mute seems friendly enough, and I discovered that she has great strength to equal any mans (note-repay jail for damages)_

_As for Amira, she seems to know the countryside, and has convinced me that she can easily sway any of Dracula's mortal helpers away. _

_I hope, for all of out sakes, that she's right.  _

Amira, for last time in so many days, placed her hand over the strange mark on her chest. The wagon, rented in a small hamlet, creaked back and forth on the narrow pass. The sounds of the mute girl and Dr. Seward filtering in through the small door did little to calm her nerves. The horses seemed to sense the nervousness in the girl, as they too threatened to bolt at every turn.

The mute girl's cries along with Dr. Seward's attempts to make her talk were what had driven Amira to take the horse's reins in the first place; a fact that was even more on her mind as the clouds began to darken and she felt the first few raindrops.

Strangely, the rain and scent of horses no longer bothered her. Leaning back under the relative dryness offered by the canopy, she could actually hear the mute's gentle attempts at speech as well as the rivulets of sweat pouring down Dr. Seward's neck.

"What's happening to me?" she thought as she lashed the horses faster.

From the Journal of John Seward, MD

            _I must confess, the past few days have been most trying. The strange mute girl is still mute. She seems to recognize a few key words, and it seems she has developed a kind of bond with both Amira and myself. Her strength is almost inhuman and her mind so simple. The scars around her body suggest she was the recipient of some form of surgery._

_Amira_

_Amira, so far, has proven a most interesting companion. In her travels she has been by the area, and she assures me that she can find the castle that we seek. It will be dark in a few hours, and time is of the essence_

            It was late afternoon when the wagon slowed to a halt near the bottom of the old path. "Dr. Seward, look!" he heard from upfront as he very nearly fainted at the sight before them.

Castle Dracula, while never in pristine condition, now lay in utter ruins. A great fire had spread throughout the structure, as witnessed by the still smoldering ruins.

"We've lost!" he cursed as he kicked the mud around them.

            "Wait, I see tire tracks" Amira shouted as she gazed around at the ground.

"Tire tracks? That could mean that someone else… wait here. I'll check the castle to see if there was any sign of Dracula. If I fail to return before sunset, you must leave." He said with finality as he picked up his bag and hurried inside the ruins.

"I suppose it will be just you and me, eh?" Amira tried to joke to the mute girl.

The girl simply looked over at her with a slouched brow. The air around them grew silent, save for the wind and the occasional disturbed leaf.

            "I wonder how long we have to wait out here?"

"Not long" a deep voice answered.

            Quickly looking around and finding no one, Amira grabbed the mute and hustled her back into the wagon. "Stay here and I'll" she began to say before she cut off as a massive arm burst through from underneath. Amira bit back a scream as the limb flayed around. "Run!" She screamed as another arm burst up through the wooden and latched on to her ankle.

Grabbing a nearby lantern, Amira franticly broke it across the arms of whatever was under the wagon. The oil and fire spread quickly, consuming the small wagon; but the point was achieved in that Amira was quickly freed from whatever the thing was.

Dashing outside, Amira stopped short when she saw the mute held in the clutches of woman with almost the exact same type of scars that the mute had.

"Wait, aren't you" but that was all she spat out before a large hand smacked her unconscious.

            "Let's go" a woman, her muscles rippling in the faint daylight, stepped out away from the burning wagon and scooped up Amira with one hand.

From the Journal of John Seward, MD

            _I felt conflicted as I hurried down the old steps. On one hand if Dracula was in fact dead, then I could rest easier. But on the other what if it was simply a ruse?_

_I had made my way down (being mindful of the still burning wood) where I found a most amazing sight._

_Before me were the remains of three funeral pyres. The still smoldering remains of several coffins were all around me._

_Venturing further down, I found the source of my nightmares strung up before me._

_Dracula_

_            The body was still burning, with the head removed and mounted on a pike (which had finished burning). _

_As the stench of the burning flesh surrounded me, I felt a cold chill run down my spine despite the heat._

_The head was still alive._

_Dracula, his lids fused shut over his eyes, coughed and smiled in my direction. "Friend Seward, how long as it been?" the monster before me asked._

_Forcing myself to stay, I looked at the mockery of mankind and demanded to know what had transpired._

_The head gave me a look, which led me to think that if he were still attached to his body he would have shrugged his shoulders._

_"A careless mistake on my part. Lucy, I believe you know her quite well, has raised her arm against me."_

_I ran, but not before I made sure that this monster would never trouble humanity again. Digging through the burning pile, I found that while he had been beheaded, there was no stake in his heart. Pulling one from my bag, I rectified that oversight._

_The head let out a gasp as I hammered, and Heaven help me I enjoyed hearing that monster scream his last._

_Lucy…_

            "Wake up" Amira heard the rough voice order as she tried to open her eyes but found only darkness staring back "Where am I?"

Her sight was restored when the hood binding her was ripped off, reveling a quaint if sparsely furnished room.

"Master come for you at sun down" the patchwork Amazon spoke slowly as she turned around and walked out.

"Wait, where is my friend?"

"With family" was the only reply she heard before the door was slammed shut.

"I must get out of here!" she thought as she saw the sun slowly begin its descent. Struggling against the bonds, she felt a strange tingle go through her as the sky darkened.

            "What's happening?" she thought as she looked out the small window and stared at the full moon that had begun its ascent.

With a snarl, Amira pulled back and tore the chains out of the wall with almost no effort.

Amazed, she stared down at her hands as they seemed to be throbbing; not with pain, but with energy.

Getting off of the bed, she managed to make it to the door as the light of the full moon beamed down on her.

            It was then that the strange energy instantly went from strange to intense pain.

With a strangled cry she fell to the floor. The pain moved down into her hands. Holding them to her, almost as if to hug the pain away, she stared in horror as the nails split open and large jet-black nails grew in to replace them.

            A coat of fine hair began to sprout, quickly covering her changing hands, as the muscles seemed to constrict before expanding.

The change continued as her forearms began to elongate. Her hands seem to, for lack of a better word, shift and spread out. The fur on her hands grew thicker, and quickly spread up her forearms.

Amira's ears stretched and grew longer as she heard her tunic giving way in the back. Her normally chestnut brown hair shifted shades, becoming as black as the fur that now seemed to growing in everywhere on her person.

Her simple crafted boots stretched (and failed) to make room for her feet, which had undergone an equal transformation. The leather fell away in strips as Amira tried to walk on the new appendages.

"Must…get…out" she wheezed as she fumbled with the doorknob. The pain seemed to sense this, as it then left her extremities and settled in her torso. Falling again, she screamed as the bones in both her hands and feet shifted, cracked, and grew. Trying to unbutton her tunic to see what was presently happening, Amira only succeed in shredding the garment.

But the sight below her was enough to drive the thoughts of the ruined clothing away as below her breasts, were as near as she tell, more breasts. Not as defined as the olds mind you, but two sets all the same. The black fur was now almost completely covering her body as Amira simply laid down and prayed for the pain to end.

It didn't; her skirt, which had somehow managed to hold together during all this, bunched up around her hips as the pain moved south. Muscles and sinew grew in, tearing the skirt as easily as she moved her hips. Her back seemed to ripple under the fur as hot tears streamed down her face.

Biting her lips only resulted blood flowing freely down her mouth as her teeth grew into sharpened points.

The pain in her back went down even lower. Unable to turn her head, Amira could only hear a sharp cracking noise as what felt like her spine bursting out of her back and twitching around.

The fur spread to her face as Amira mercifully passed out.

Now it was only The Wolf

The Wolf felt a sharp pain in her face as bones snapped and grew, giving her a muzzle instead of a face.

The Wolf stood proudly and all fours and looked up at the moon.

She howled in greeting as she looked at the barrier before her.

The Wolf wanted out.

            Meanwhile

The mute girl had been locked in the basement of the house since she was brought in. Before her was a coffin (although the exact word for it escaped her at the moment). Unaware of how time had passed, she jumped back when the coffin's glass lid opened and a shapely feminine hand emerged.

The lid quickly slid back as Lucy sensually stretched inside the box before standing up. "Well, isn't this a pleasant sight to see?" she said jokingly as she stood before the mute naked, save for a thin level of soil on her backside.

"Excuse me love, but I never dine starkers" she quipped as she brazenly strode past the confused girl and slipped on some clothes that had been carefully folded near the base of the coffin.

"Now, where were we?"

The mute simply stood by, confusion quite evident on her scarred features.

"Oh, but I don't suppose we have been formerly introduced. You may call me Lucy. I brought you here, do you know why?"

The mute shook her head 'no'.

"Because you are special. Of all the creations brought forth by Frankenstein, you have the most potential to become stronger than the other beings that serve me" she spoke softly, as her voice took on an even tone.

            The mute blinked. What was this…person, doing to her? A sudden calm came over her, as the woman's words became clearer and clearer.

"I can help you. People fear you because you are different. But if you serve me, I will make sure that no one ever hurts you again. Will you serve me?" she asked, her hand out.

The mute looked at the outstretched hand. She raised her own and slowly gripped the offered appendage.

"A most wise choice my child"

From the Journal of John Seward, MD

            _As I left Castle Dracula, I found that out whoever had slain the foul monster was not a friend of ours. The wagon was still ablaze as I approached, and the two women nowhere in sight._

_But this time the enemy left something that even I could track._

_Tire tracks _

Meanwhile

            The Wolf sniffed at the door. Unaware of just how she wound up in the room, she snarled and easily tore through the oak as if it was made from tissue paper. Unfamiliar scents greeted her as she slowly paced down the corridor.

"Uh?" a strange figure said. The Wolf didn't recognize the patchwork woman before her, not that she really cared. To the Wolf, all strangers were either enemy or food.

And since the Wolf was rather hungry, the stranger was both…

From the Journal of John Seward, MD

            _The tracks were easy enough follow, even for someone of my poor eyesight. I ran for what seemed like miles._

_I ran until nightfall, where I collapsed by the roadside. I managed to drag myself off to the side._

            The Wolf bit down hard on the being before her. The creature fought back; mainly by gripping the Wolf by both sides of the neck and tossing her across the room before ripping up a floorboard and hefting it like a club.

            "Master say kill intruder" the creature growled as she lumbered toward the prone werewolf.

The Wolf righted herself and looked at the now armed stranger. The Wolf growled and leapt at her attacker. The creature swung down with the board, but sadly for her she missed. The Wolf latched onto her neck and bit as hard as she could.

The creature struggled to pry the ravenous werewolf away, but for all of her great strength she couldn't. The Wolf looked down at the bloody corpse, unaware of the strange thing's origins, and gave a cry of victory to the moon.

Downstairs

            The howling echoed all throughout the house. "Hmm, it seems that we have an uninvited guest." Lucy purred as she finished dressing herself. "Why don't you and the rest of the girls go and see who it is?" she ordered.

The mute simply nodded as several more women papered at the top of the stairs. "Go with them".

Upstairs the battle ragged in earnest. The rest of Frankenstein's would be brides had armed themselves and were attempting to kill the werewolf.

A funny tidbit that none of the resurrected patchwork women were aware of was that the only thing that could kill a werewolf was anything made of pure silver.

A fact that was lost on them as they armed themselves with the same gear they used in the extermination of Dracula and his brides.

            Arrows flew through the air as the Wolf easily dodged the deadly projectiles and leapt into the fray, biting and clawing. Two of the guards moved in with crosses, in an attempt to club the interloper into submission.

The Wolf stopped at the sight of the two massive crosses, not out of fear or pain, but more out of a sense of bewilderment. The symbol had some meaning, she was sure of that. The exact meaning however, was totally lost on her.

The moment's hesitation would prove to be most costly.

The heavy symbol cracked across the Wolf's head hard enough to shatter both the cross and her skull.

Dazed (but thought dead), the guards that still possessed their hands dragged the still moving body out of the den and down to the basement.

From the Journal of John Seward, MD

            _I was not sure just how long I slept. When I came to, the moon was full and high overhead._

_Scrambling to my feet I continued on my journey. The tracks were still fresh, and the moonlight enabled me to find my way in the dark. _

_Hours may have passed; I had only the moon to guide me._

_Seeing a light down the road, I broke into a run.  The tire tracks went around to the side of the house. _

_            Making my way through an unattended gate, I found myself in a small and rather unkempt garden. The howl of a wolf echoed from inside the house, chilling me to my bones._

_The thought of my Lucy being the one behind all this…for the sake of recording this event I must continue. _

_I laid my bag on a long unused table and sorted through it. After my confrontation with the Count, I had only one stake left, as well as one flask of holy water. Pocketing the stake, I unscrewed the top to the water and carefully made my way inside._

Scenes of violence were everywhere. At first all I saw was smashed furniture and large gaping holes in the walls nearly the size of my head.

_Carefully making my way into the heart of the house, I'm afraid my skills of infiltration leave much to be desired, for no sooner had I entered than I was discovered._

_The guard was a woman who was hideously scarred. She was missing several parts, including a right arm. She growled something to the effect of "stop". Mistaking her for an unholy creature I emptied half my flask into her face. _

_When she failed to combust I realized that ugliness does not equal evil._

_I tried to flee, but after my mad dash through the wilderness I fear I was in no shape to run. She clamped down on my shoulder with a grip that could have twisted steel. I dropped my flask in the confusion. _

_I was hefted over the guard's head and carried through the house. The next thing I was aware of was being tossed like a potato sack down a flight of stairs._

            The Wolf was angry. Not that this was a new thing, but the rage was keeping her focused. Chained to a wall, the Wolf struggled against the bonds, but even with her strength the chains would not bend.

"Hmm, you are full of surprises, aren't you?" a woman spoke. The woman sparked off something in the Wolf's mind, visions of hate and blood. Snarling, and redoubling her efforts to free herself, the Wolf's actions merely caused the woman to laugh.

"My, you werewolves are such silly creatures." She smirked as the light reflected off of her sharpened teeth. "I wonder what would happen if I were to drain you; would you dammed twice?" she laughed as she approached.

The Wolf felt something unfamiliar as the woman walked closer. Her fur bristling as the woman roughly grabbed her neck, the woman ignored the Wolf's claws as she opened her own mouth wide…

From the Journal of John Seward, MD

            _I was caught midair by yet another of the scarred women, but imagine my surprise when my would-be jailer was none other than the mute girl that I rescued._

She seemed to recognize me as she held me close. Looking me over, she opened her mouth and while she still failed to say anything, it was clear that she knew who I was. Putting me down, she motioned for me to stay under the stairs.

_I complied, as the mute then dashed off to another section of the basement. I grabbed my stake and cross as I formulated a battle plan. _

            Lucy blinked at the sight before her. The mute that she had recruited stood before her, an expression that vaguely resembled anger on her features. "What do you want?" she snapped as the Wolf managed to use the distraction to break free of the vampire's grasp.

            "Stay" Lucy ordered as she lashed out and caught the Wolf in the stomach with a kick.

From the Journal of John Seward, MD

            _Holding my cross in one hand and my stake in the other I made my way towards the sounds. I could see, via the sole lit torch, the mute standing in front of a large wolf that had been chained to the wall. A scantly dressed woman was amusing herself by kicking the dumb animal as hard she could as the wolf howled in agony._

_Without thinking, I stepped into the torchlight and shouted the name of the woman I once loved more than life itself._

            "Lucy!" a strangled cry echoed off of the old stonewalls.

"Was that…why, I had no idea you were still alive John!" Lucy said in a mocking tone. Grabbing the torch off of the wall, she kicked off her high heels and made her barefoot towards the sound of his voice.

"The years have not been kind to you John" she said as the sight of the older man was caught in the light.

            "I have to save your soul Lucy" John forced himself to say as he held the cross up.

"Really? I thought you already did that when you and those other prats shoved a sharpened table leg into my chest and loped off my head". She spat as she kept her distance due the cross.

            The mute silently looked at the two before turning her attention towards the Wolf. Holding her hands out, she carefully walked towards the snarling beast.

The Wolf looked at the new foe before her and snarled, but there was something about the human before her that seemed different than the others. Calming down, the Wolf sensed that this human was somehow different.

            The mute continued her approach, until she was neared her objective:

The Wolf's chains

With a single tug, the mute tore the constraints away, letting the Wolf free. Without even looking at any other creature in the room, the Wolf leapt towards the nearest thing:

Lucy

From the Journal of John Seward, MD

            _I must confess, as I write what happened down I am almost ashamed of my actions. As I gazed in the eyes of the woman that I would have died to protect, I could feel my hand wavering. As I stared at those ruby red lips, I wanted nothing than to kiss them._

_I knew full well the dangers, yet the sight of her…_

_If the wolf hadn't somehow broken loose of it's restraints I'm not sure what I would have done. The wolf tackled Lucy to the floor with ease and began it's assault._

_Being a vampire, I knew all too well that no amount of biting would be enough to stop a vampire, yet I still possessed enough intelligence not to get between the pair._

_I picked up the discarded torch and quickly found the mute. Gesturing wildly, I managed to convince her of my intent and together we fled._

_The sounds of Lucy and the wolf fighting rang throughout the basement, but I remained focused on my objective._

_As my old mentor Van Helsing often said, "if you destroy a vampire's coffin, the battle is halfway won"._

_Finding the casket that Lucy had first been laid to rest in, I smashed the glass top with my boot. I tried to tip the stone thing over, but I failed to move it by even an inch._

_I felt a rough hand on my shoulder, and there the mute was offering me her assistance. Normally I would have scoffed at such a thing, until I saw her lift half of the casket with one hand._

_Speechless, I simply pushed the other end as hard as I could. The coffin slid and fell, cracking in two as it hit the ground. Scattering the pieces and the dirt inside, I picked up my torch and led the way upstairs, leaving Lucy to her fate._

             Lucy heard the shattering of something, but she had no time to investigate. The wolf clamped down on her right wrist, almost severing her hand in one bite.

Hissing through her teeth, Lucy slammed her knee into the wolf's midsection and pulled back, causing the hand to ripped off. Ignoring the pain of the severed hand, she jumped up and kept her back to the wall. In the darkness, Lucy could still hear the wolf panting, the smell of blood exciting her.

            The Wolf was happy. The enemy before her had lost something (the thing looked familiar, yet the name of it escaped the Wolf at that moment) and for that she was happy. Charging after her prey, the Wolf easily made her way up the stairs.

            From the Journal of John Seward, MD

_As the mute and myself raced upstairs, the creatures that Lucy had ensnared as bodyguards confronted us. Wielding my torch, I managed to keep the monsters at bay. They seemed afraid of the fire, and I had no hesitation about using that to my advantage. Even with many of them missing pieces they still had the two of us outnumbered, but keeping the torch in front of me we managed to back our way into the relative safety of the kitchen. _

_The only of escape lay in a small window off to the side. Noticing the many open bottles of wine and liquor laying around, I was struck with an idea. _

_Instructing the mute, I had her toss and brake as many bottles as she could grab. The guards, moving slowly, did nothing but stare at us as we did out fiendish work._

_Without waiting I heaved the torch into the alcohol, setting the old kitchen ablaze. The fire spread fast, consuming the guards._

_To my amazement and horror, not a one of the women ever bothered to move. Standing still as the flames roasted them, they did not even bother to scream as the fire roasted them. _

            Lucy escaped from one hell to another. Seeing the fire raging, she cursed as she as she tried to beat out the flames that were quickly spreading around the house.

Grabbing a antique saber that had left over the mantle by the house's formerly living residents, she charged into the inferno, the name of her enemy hot on her lips.

From the Journal of John Seward, MD

            _Until my dying day I doubt I will ever forget the sound that issued forth from the fire._

_"John!" a horrid screech came forth from within the fire. The mute had on her own accord smashed the window and was already safely outside. I was brushing the broken glass aside when Lucy walked through the fire. _

_Waving a sword with her one hand, she stared at me with a look that was born of Hell itself._

_Not even bothering to say a word, she screamed and leapt at me, her sword glistening in firelight._

_My salvation came, of sorts, in the shape of the wolf that Lucy had fought with downstairs._

_The wolf easily caught Lucy in midair and drove her back into the fire. I could hear them battle, but the ceiling had begun to sag and moan. Waiting until Lucy was within my range of vision, I ran as close as I dared and plunged the stake through her back. I heard screaming before I dove headfirst out the window, barely managing to escape as the house caved in, the fire hungrily devouring it. Perhaps in my fatigued state I would have like to imagine Lucy gaining some degree of freedom as she died._

_Several hours went by as we watched the house burn._

_Hearing the rubble shifting, I grabbed a nearby beam that had broken off and armed myself. _

_I almost fainted with fright as the wolf slowly emerged from the debris, it's muzzle drenched with blood. It let out a hideous howl before digging down and letting us see it's grisly trophy _

_Lucy's severed head_

            The Wolf gave a cry of victory over her kill. Two humans stood before her, but she didn't care. She had already feasted on the remains of one; two more wouldn't make much difference.

The Wolf stared down at the pair, feeling strange that neither one of them wanted to fight or run. Ignoring the feelings, the Wolf advanced.

But, as the Wolf gave another howl to the Moon, it was there that the Wolf noticed something odd. The Moon was going away, and the first rays of sunlight streaked across the sky.

Feeling tired, the Wolf tried to stay awake for the kill, yet suddenly none of that seemed important.

Collapsing to the ground, the Wolf just went away.

From the Journal of John Seward, MD

            _As the Wolf crept towards us, I must admit that I was at a loss for words. I felt relief that Lucy had been stopped, yet at the sight of the ravenous beast before I felt that my victory would be a short-lived one._

_But, to add to the wonders and horrors that I have seen, I bore witness to yet another amazing occurrence._

_The wolf howled at the sinking moon, but as the sun slowly began it's ascent into the morning sky, the wolf suddenly fell over. _

_In what would now be considered an extreme act of utter foolishness, I ventured forward instead of running away. But what I saw….the sight still makes my blood run cold as I stared at the wolf._

_The animal looked to be having a seizure, if such a thing were possible of an animal. I could hear the bones snapping, and I thought for a moment that the poor thing had somehow broken it's limbs due to it's thrashing about. Instead, I witnessed the paws reshaping into hands. The fur bristled and, for lack of a better term, it vanished, reveling smooth naked skin._

_The muzzle broke and seemed to melt into the face, taking on a more recognizable face:_

_Amira_

_The light of the new day reveled the gypsy girl to me, and I admit my reaction was less than of a gentlemanly nature. _

_After a moment's shock, she seemed to regain her senses rather quickly, and it was amidst the smoking ruins that it was decided that the three of us would return to England._

_I would resume my position at the sanitarium, while helping Amira to look for a cure for her condition._

_As for the mute, it was decided that she would be better off with us. After the entire incident, I rather doubt that letting her rot in jail would prove to be beneficial to anyone. It will be difficult helping her rejoin society, but I believe that together we can help the poor girl._

_And so, on this last page, I bring this journal to a close. Monsters such as Dracula and even Frankenstein still exist in this modern world, and it will be up to people such as myself to insure that mankind is never threatened by those horrors ever again._

JS, 12-30-31 

The end

Story based on the film "Dracula contra Frankenstein" (1972) dir. Jess Franco.

Better known as The Screaming Dead, it was a rather obscure footnote in the work of the man. My reasons for remaking the film are fairly simple-I loved the idea, yet I felt the actual film fell flat in it's telling.

This is simply my take on the story, with no insult intended to the makers or fans of the original film.


	2. Legacy of the Dead

August 6, 1932

"Fools"

The word played over in the man's mind as he walked past the burnt remains before him. He shivered as he drew his coat closer. The sight of the noble house lying in ruins invoked a cold rage within his being as he walked among the remains. He had even had to pay for his own horse, since none of the locals would take him anywhere near the house. Lost in his melancholy as he was, it took the sound of digging to shake him from his state.

"Careful, we don't know what condition it'll be in" he heard a voice shout. It came from inside what was formerly a large tower than had been connected to the house. The older man carefully made his way back to his horse (which was just as skittish as the townspeople). He rummaged in his saddlebag, pulling out a pistol; he checked its status with a grim determination.

Carefully making his way around the edge of the house, he kept his gun level and steady. Coming closer, he gasped as he saw the origin of the voice:

A white-haired man, clad in a black overcoat, stood off to the side as a group of nervous looking men hacked away at the remains with their tools. "We've searched everywhere else, so it must be there!" the man argued. "Keep digging!"

The man's cold rage turned into a hot as he stepped closer and cocked his pistol. "That's far enough you thieves!" he shouted.

The older man turned and showed no expression save polite boredom. "Oh, sorry were you hoping to dig through this rubble? I'm sorry, but we were here first."

The older man's lack of concern almost made the man shake with rage. "I was here long before any of you. This was my family's home."

This sent a commotion among the diggers. Even the older man looked awed. "Then I am correct to assume that your name is Frankenstein?" the man looked almost hopefully at the mention of the name.

"Dr. Ludwig Frankenstein." He introduced himself. Keeping his pistol steady, he continued to speak. "Now that we are introduced, I want you and your thugs to leave my father's house at once." Dr. Frankenstein's tone gave no room for argument, but the older man gave a warm smile.

"Very well, but I am afraid I must introduce myself before we depart. My name is Pretorius, Dr. Ernest Pretorius."

At the mention of the older man's name, Frankenstein lowered his weapon. "Can you verify that?" he questioned.

"Of course" Pretorius replied, as if this was a common question. Walking over to a stack of supplies, he rummaged through a steamer trunk until he pulled out a letter. "I believe this will answer a few questions."

Frankenstein snatched the letter and glanced at it in the fading light. His face paled as he read over it. For several seconds he said nothing before handing the letter back and pocketing his pistol. "I should have recognized my father's old professor. He often spoke highly of you sir". He apologized. "I'm sorry about my actions, but I assumed you were thieves."

"A wise assumption my young friend. We are looking for something that your father had in his possession before his untimely death, and we had hoped to find it and be gone before nightfall."

Pretorius's words sparked off a rage in Frankenstein. "What?" he shouted, fingers wrapping around the pistol again. "So you admit to robbing my father's home?"

"Calm yourself young Frankenstein." Pretorius sighed. "While it is true we are looking for something that was in your father's hands, I can assure you that we are no common robbers. It is my intention to share this gift with the world!" Frankenstein noticed a strange kind of light in the older man's eyes as he spoke. "But since you are the oldest son, perhaps you would honor us by allowing us to at least find it. It belongs to you after all."

"What item? What exactly are you talking about?" Frankenstein was confused. What could the old man be talking about?

As they were talking, one of the workmen screamed as the ground below opened up and the man fell in. "Karl!" Pretorius shouted as he dashed towards the gaping maw. Peering over the edge, he hastily snatched a lantern from of the men. Lighting it, he lowered himself until he was flat on the ground. Looking down, he shouted down into the pit. "Karl?" he shouted, his voice echoing back.

Back in the darkness, there was a low moaning, but it wasn't Karl. A broad grin split Pretorius's face as he stood up and dusted the dirt and grime off. "We've found it!" he exclaimed. Ignoring Frankenstein he started to issue orders to the remaining workmen. "Fetch the ropes, the prod, and the sedatives! We won't take any chances!"

Frankenstein stood off to the side, forgotten and confused. "Good Heavens man, what are you doing? That man could be injured, and what are you doing with that equipment?"

Pretorius turned to the younger man and once again, smiled. "Oh, this equipment isn't for Karl. No, this is something much more important." Shucking his overcoat off, Pretorius snatched the pod and affixed the sedative to the tip. As he tied the rope around his waist, the elderly man's grin never wavered. "I suppose it would be more appropriate to let you go down there, but I'm not sure you have the constitution for it."

Frankenstein was growing more agitated by the second. "What are you babbling about man?"

Pretorius stepped near the edge and began his descent. "Let's just say I'm bringing your inheritance up."

As the old man disappeared over the side, Frankenstein rushed to the other workers. "What's he doing?" he demanded.

The closet worker, a swarthy man with a gap filled mouth, spat on one of the remaining walls as he helped man the rope. "The devil's work sir" was all he said as the rope suddenly tightened in his hands. Turning to the other workers, he began to bark order in a variety of languages. The workmen dropped their tools and began to help hoist the Pretorius back up, although Frankenstein could see the men were having trouble. What was he down there? Frankenstein tossed his jacket to the side as he grabbed hold of the rope and began to haul whatever was down there up.

After several minutes of near backbreaking labor, the men were rewarded with the sight of Pretorius emerging first. His face was flushed and his brow was drenched with sweat. "Come on men, we almost have him!" he shouted encouragement as he clambered up and joined the men.

Frankenstein almost let the rope slip when he saw just what he was helping drag up. It was a man, although clearly not the workman Karl. The figure was massive; he would put to the man's height at almost seven feet. Shaggy black hair hung low over his brow, but that did little to hide the scars that stretched over the man's features. The man was nearly nude, save for a torn pair of crudely made pants, giving everyone present a good look at the man's strangest feature: His skin.

It was a ghastly shade of yellowish green, and when coupled with the pure blackness of the man's hair, lips and nails, created a rather hideous portrait. Every man save for Pretorius gave a shudder at the creature's appearance. Pretorius, for his part, gave a light laugh as he let go of the rope and made his way back to small wagon that had been parked off in the trees.

Returning, he stepped down and addressed the men like a general inspecting his troops. "Gentlemen, I thank you for your aid this day. Science shall not forget this work you have made possible." As he spoke, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bag. "Your payment, when our slumbering friend is placed on the wagon."

Walking past the men, Pretorius took the incredulous Frankenstein by the hand and took him over to a small pile of various items. "Would you care to join me for a brandy? It's my only weakness you know." He asked.

"Sir, what exactly is that thing, and what was it doing in my father's house?" Frankenstein demanded as he yanked his hand free of the older man's cold grip.

Pretorius turned his back to Frankenstein and picked his overcoat off the ground. Pretorius shook it once before slipping it on and opening up a steamer trunk. Ignoring Frankenstein, he dug through the trunk until he pulled out a flask. Popping the top, he held it high over head. Turning back to the younger man, he smiled even more broadly than before as he proceeded to guzzle most of the flask's contents in one swig. "That, young Frankenstein," he almost gasped as he tossed the now empty flask back into the trunk, "is your family's legacy. Are you not familiar with the infamous tome that shares your name?"

"You mean that slanderous penny dreadful dreamt up by that mad English woman?" he asked.

"I admit it was a little overwrought, but that book was not merely something born of too much liquor, but the truth."

"You're mad"

"Am I? Look to that wagon and tell me so." Pretorius pointed to the men who were still busy shoving the near dead body into the back. "Oh, there was some liberties taken I admit, but as you can see, it is very much the truth."

"This is madness, complete madness!" Frankenstein almost swooned on the spot.

"Is it? Ludwig, what we have here is an amazing opportunity. Your father died before he truly plumb the depths of human knowledge, but with this creature in our possession I dare say we understand the very fabric of creation itself."

Frankenstein faltered and quickly sat down. "It's all too much. I simply came here from my clinic to inspect the remains of the home. I never would have dreamt something like this could even be possible!"

The mention of the word 'clinic' sparked a gleam in Pretorius's eye. "You said you were a doctor, but I failed to grasp what kind. Tell me, this clinic of yours, what kind of work do you do there?"

"I run a private care clinic for the mentally unstable." Frankenstein said, his color slowly returning.

"Do you have a free run of the facility?" Pretorius leaned forward.

"Not quite I'm afraid. I handle the patients while my partner Dr. Bohmer takes care of the finical needs." Frankenstein replied. The disappointment in Dr. Pretorius's voice was audible.

"I see." But his tone changed as he saw the creature's feet vanish into the back of the wagon. "But that can be settles another day. Is your clinic far from here?"

"Over the broader, a day's ride with any luck."

Standing up, Dr. Pretorius reached into his pocket and pulled out the small sack. "For your efforts." He said as he tossed the sack to the ground in front of the workmen. It spilled open and a score of gold coins tumbled out into the mud. The men pounced on it and each other as they fought over the money.

Turning back to Dr. Frankenstein, the elder scientist gave another smile as he held out his hand. "Ludwig, perhaps we should visit this clinic of yours. I admit my own faculties are not as up to date as they should be, and I think it would be of great interest to you to see the handiwork of your ancestors."

"What? Bring that monster into my home? Impossible!" Frankenstein shouted as the workmen took off into the night. "I won't be a part of this blasphemy!" he swore.

"Wait!" Pretorius pleaded. Gripping the younger man's arm with a force that belied his gaunt frame, Pretorius looked straight into Ludwig Frankenstein's eyes. "This creature is the key Ludwig, the key to solving the eternal mystery! Are you telling me that you can simply walk away from it?"

Frankenstein faltered. "That thing has haunted my family for generations, it has killed countless people and ruined just as many lives. Why can't it be left alone or just destroyed?" he tried to reason.

Pretorius sneered as thrust the man away from him. "Your father understood! To be a scientist, a true scientist, and one must take risks! Death is nothing, I know this for a fact, and with this creature we can alter the very face of the world. Will you help me Ludwig? Will you help me cast aside the veil that keeps the mysteries of the universe a secret?"

Frankenstein shot a glance at the older man and then at the wagon. "Perhaps I could aid you, at least for a night. But no longer."

Pretorius smiled again as he walked towards the wagon. "A night is all I shall need to decipher the first answer." He said enigmatically.

A day later

The sunlight streamed in through the large window. The office was large, and richly furnished. Numerous awards and other accolades adorned the walls. Dr. Bohmer, a short humorless man in an expensive suit, entered through a large oak door. Standing still in the early morning light, he smiled as he ran his fingers over the various plaques.

Another door, exactly similar to the one that Dr. Bohmer came through, opened. Bohmer's expression went from serene to sarcastic when he saw the disheveled shape of his business partner Dr. Ludwig Frankenstein enter. "Well, I suppose I should be thankful to catch a rare glimpse of my illustrious partner this bright and glorious morning" he chimed in. He almost swaggered as he sat down behind a massive desk and leaned back in a leather chair. "Tell me, were you out checking other places of employment? Because if I"

"Alright" muttered Dr. Frankenstein. His face was pale and his clothes looked as if he had slept in them.

Dr. Bohmer, pleased at how humble the man was before him, chuckled as he leaned back even further. "But first I think you should make yourself presentable before you start seeing our patients. It wouldn't do to make the poor dears even more excitable, now would it?"

Frankenstein muttered under his breath as he left the office. As his fingers touched the doorknob, Dr. Bohmer's ear splitting cough snapped him back to reality. "Use the side door Ludwig. We do have a image to maintain after all."

"Very well."

Exiting out into another hallway, Frankenstein stopped when he saw Dr. Pretorius leaning against the wall. "I couldn't but overhear. This Bohmer fellow, he's not what we would call a man of vision, is he?"

"No, but in a way it's my fault." Frankenstein sighed as he made his way down the hall. "We were both medical students at the time. I was trying to live down my family's reputation and he was trying to build on his. Theodore and I opened the clinic, although it was with his money. He proved himself to be much more adapt at handling money than I, and soon he was giving the orders."

"But why couldn't you just leave?" Pretorius asked as he strolled alongside Frankenstein. "Surely a man of you reputation could start over?"

"I've tried. You see sometime ago, I was trying to test one of my theories on a patient that he had given up on. We were operating, and everything was going smoothly when the patient died suddenly midway. Theodore blamed me for the death. You see he has a very bad temper. No one would work with us because of him. If I left, this clinic would go under in less than a year. The man has threatened to ruin me by telling of the surgery if I leave, so I've become little more than a slave."

"How terrible" Pretorius offered a sympathetic hand. "But tell me more. Are you the one who performs most of the operations?"

"Hmm? Oh yes, I do. He considers himself to be above such things. Why do you ask?"

"Simple curiosity. Would he notice the absence of any drugs or equipment?"

"Doubtful; he barely checks the books. We are fully stocked for almost any kind of emergency you see. The villagers often bring their injured here when they are unable to travel long distances."

"So it goes without saying that you would have full access to a fully equipped operating room?"

As they walked further, Frankenstein held up a hand and gestured down a darkened stairwell. "Better than that. Below out very feet is a series of rooms; Theodore was obsessed with trying out new kinds of therapy and had various cells constructed. He stopped practicing after he took over, so the rooms have been abandoned."

Pretorius gave him a hearty slap on the back. "Wonderful! I'll arrange the creature's arrival down into one of those vaults tonight. But I think it best if this were just kept between the two of us." He whispered as he turned and walked into the shadows.

Frankenstein gave a shudder as he saw the thin man vanish into the bowels of the building. Continuing on his way, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of dread. Was he right to trust a man like Pretorius? He father did, but look where that had gotten him.

Shaking these thoughts aside, Ludwig Frankenstein prepared himself for the normal routine of farm injuries, rich hysterical women, and the occasional lunatic.

September 6, 1932

A full month had passed. Frankenstein had seen Pretorius less and less in that time. He wasn't exactly regretting that, although the man's absence had left him worried. Dr. Bohmer had let it slip earlier that morning that some supplies were missing, as well as food… large quantities of food.

Steeling his nerves, Frankenstein marched down the stone steps into the lower portion of the building. He had waited until nightfall and until he was sure Dr. Bohmer had already retired for the evening. Reaching out into the dark, he fumbled for the light switch. Running his hands over the cold stonewalls, he sighed with relief as he found the large switch. Throwing it, the sound of the old bulbs flickering on filled him with some sense of relief.

Making his way past unused chambers and scattered equipment, he heard the sound of something being worked on echoing down the corridor. Moving carefully, he rounded corner after corner until he spied a particularly large chamber before him. The door had been taken off by some great force and casually tossed aside.

Stepping forward, he gasped (louder than he had meant to) when he saw what was before him. The creature was lying flat on an examination table, with various tubes running out of his massive arms and many colored liquids running in and out of him. Oddly, the creature was now dressed in a pair of black slacks, a pair of oversized dress shoes, with a humongous dress coat slung over the back of a nearby chair.

"Ah, Ludwig, I almost didn't hear you come in." Pretorius said as he appeared from behind a large screen.

"Sir, Dr. Bohmer is starting to raise questions" Frankenstein began, but he was sharply cut off.

"So? Let the fool ask. I'm almost finished with my work anyway."

"Dr. Pretorius" Frankenstein began, taking a different approach, "I've only made a few basic anatomy studies of this being, and it is truly a testament to my ancestor's genius, but what exactly are your goals with it?"

Pretorius looked like a headmaster explaining a simple problem to a particularly dull student. "I am going to restore this magnificent being back to his full power."

Frankenstein was incredulous. "How? My ancestor's notes are gone, and I doubt feeding him drugged food will restore him to much of anything."

"Oh no my boy, you see the drugs are to keep him quiet. You see his brain was rather badly damaged after the years spent below, and he would be most uncontrollable if he awoke. No, my plan is, well, perhaps I should show you something of mine first."

Walking back into the corner, Pretorius retuned with a small oblong box that bore a resemblance to a coffin. Setting it down on a cluttered table, he unscrewed the lid. "I too have been experimenting with the forces of life Ludwig, although I have only been able to find success in miniature."

Frankenstein moved closer for a look as Pretorius removed several small jars and placed them on the table. Picking one up, he gasped as he saw what looked like a person moving about inside. It was not much bigger than his smallest finger, but he could see the figure moving about inside the glass. He almost dropped it when the tiny figure looked up at him.

"Good God man!" Frankenstein shouted, as he tried not fumble. Putting the glass down hard enough to cause the figure inside to fall over, Frankenstein gripped the table and breathed through his mouth. "How? That thing on the table I can almost believe in, but this…this less science and more black magic!"

Pretorius shrugged and started to place the jars back inside the box. "I'm sorry you feel that way Ludwig." Carefully placing the box back in the corner, the older scientist turned his gaze back towards the creature. "This being is truly amazing, although I fear that even my efforts are useless in restoring him. My plan then is this: We will take him and the equipment to Egypt."

Frankenstein blinked as he tried to process what was just said. "Egypt? What on Earth is there? And just how precisely did you come to this conclusion?"

"I'm getting to that my boy; first my plan requires the creature to be at the height of his mental prowess. Given his current state, this is a problem. As for Egypt, tell me, do you recall the Whemple expedition of '21?"

"Vaguely; a worker went mad on that dig, correct?"

"Precisely. I know because I was there." Pretorius removed a short cigar from one his many pockets. "Don't be so shocked. At the time I was desperate for funds to continue my work. I also needed to get off the continent for a while as well. So, altering my name I signed on as the team medic. The young man Norton did not lose his sense due to the heat or the loneliness Ludwig, no, his mind shut down because he was witness to something so frightful his mind could no longer cope with reality."

"A interesting fairy tale sir, but what was it that he saw and how does that involve us going to Egypt?"

"Because that worker had read from the Scroll of Thoth. The same sacred document the ancient priests used to as they buried their dead. In it was an incantation that could bring the dead back to life, I know of it!"

Frankenstein shook his head. "Preposterous! This is all madness, I won't be a part of it!"

Pretorius sighed as he placed the cigar down and whistled. The creature, which had been lying still on the table, suddenly sprang to life! Before Frankenstein could move, the monster wrapped its massive arms around him. He struggled to breathe as the creature started to squeeze. "You've forced my hand Ludwig. I must go to Egypt, and you can serve me equally well either dead or alive. Now, shall I order the creature to release you? Or perhaps I should order your death?"

"No!" Frankenstein gasped as he tried to move in the tightening embrace. "I'll serve you Pretorius, just don't kill me!"

"Very well Ludwig, very well." Pretorius whistled again, only this time in a higher pitch. The creature grunted and dropped Frankenstein to the floor. "We leave first thing in the morning. I will handle the trivial aspects, and you will handle the money."

As Frankenstein rose to his feet, Pretorius looked him straight in the eye. "Keep this in mind Ludwig. My eyes are everywhere, and I will know if you try to betray me." He gestured towards the small box over in the corner. "I had hoped we could be equals in this venture Ludwig."

"What venture?" Frankenstein gasped for air. "You never told me what your plans are with the creature!"

"Oh, I didn't, did I?" Pretorius almost looked embarrassed at the slip. "Well, it's far too late now. Since you are unwilling to be my knight, you must be my pawn. If you prove yourself to be my equal, I might describe my plan to you." Turning back to his work, Pretorius started to break the equipment down. "Now go, and return within the hour."

"But what of Dr. Bohmer? He's already curious, and I can't keep him coming down here."

Pretorius's ever-present smile took on a grim twist. "Let me handle me. You just hurry home and bring those funds back here."

Upstairs

Frankenstein was correct in his fears, as Dr. Bohmer was curious about the goings on in the basement. The upper level of the asylum he had converted into his own private chambers, but he viewed the entire building to be his. "That fool is doing something, I know it!" he groused to himself as he slipped on a robe and slippers. One glance out the window showed the very object of his scorn running away. Bohmer smiled as he drew his robe closer. "Now I'll have the perfect chance to see what that blunderer is up to!"

Marching down into the main hall, Bohmer busied himself by thinking. Thinking mostly of just what could his erstwhile partner could be keeping from him, but mainly of he would do once he found out. Bohmer was smart, but it was an intelligence born of laziness. He could only think of profit, and how to turn things to his advantage. He knew Ludwig was doing something, the missing equipment proved that, but what was it?

He was so obsessed with his thoughts that he almost tripped as he went down the stone steps into the cellar. Stumbling through the dark, he groped for the switch. Feeling nothing but the cool stone under his fingers, he turned around in the dark and tried to make his way to the other side. As he made it half way, the chamber was suddenly filled with light.

Blinking, he tried to force his eyes into focus as he looked around. Next to the switch was an older man, dressed in a finely tailored suit. Loaded boxes were stacked carefully near the bottom of the steps. The man looked at Bohmer as if he was the one trespassing. "Dr. Theodore Bohmer I presume?" the man asked at length.

"Yes, and what of it?" he thundered. Faced with the unknown, Bohmer reacted the same every time. He puffed himself up and shouted at it. "Who are you, and do you think you're doing in my clinic?"

"My name is of no concern to you, as is the nature of my business. Your money, on the other hand, is a great concern to me." The man casually replied as he began to take the boxes and assorted bags up the stairs.

Bohmer was so offended he ignored the man's strange whistling as he stomped up the stairs after him. "A common thief eh? I'll have you thrown in irons!" he harrumphed.

The man looked past Bohmer and nodded. Before he could question the meaning of that, Bohmer felt someone grip his shoulder tight enough to make him cry out. Struggling to turn around, he almost fainted when he caught a glimpse of the man behind him. "What's going on? Who are you?" he screamed as he tried to free himself.

It was no use. The stranger's hand was like a vice. It tightened, and Bohmer could swear that he heard the bones snapping. Pain shot through his body as he tried to wrest his shoulder free.

"Someone of little concern Dr. Bohmer. Goodbye." The older man whistled once again. The other stranger, his hideous face never changing, clamped onto Bohmer's neck with his other hand.

"Stop, please!" the doomed man tried to scream as the yellowish green fingers wrapped around his throat. His pleading was silenced as a meaty hand slammed down hard, smashing his skull. Bohmer's corpse hit the stone floor with a wet thud as the creature stood over him, its expression never changing.

Pretorius looked down on the creature's handiwork with an equally unchanging look. Whistling another tune, he turned and made his way as the creature grabbed the rest of the equipment and silently followed him.

Elsewhere

Not too far away, in a smaller house near the clinic, Frankenstein slowed to a stop as he neared the front door. Wiping his brow of the cold sweat that had collected on it, he carefully opened the door and made his way inside.

"Father, what are you doing out so late?"

The voice nearly made him scream, but he forced himself to stay calm. A sudden light behind him showed the speaker's identity.

"Elsa, don't sneak on your poor father like that!" he admonished as he closed the door. His daughter, her blond hair hanging down past her back, moved gracefully towards her father and sat down in a overstuffed easy chair.

"I'm sorry father, but I was so worried!" Ludwig tried to calm himself as he spoke, but he knew she was growing suspicious at his manner.

"I was just doing some research, that's all. Now Elsa, I'm afraid I'll be going on a little trip."

Her eyes lit up as he spoke. "Oh, a trip? May I come too father?"

"No!" he shouted. Shaking his head, he apologized. "I mean, no, this trip might be for a while, and I don't know when I'll be able to return." Looking to the over side of the small room, he sighed as he spotted the locked box placed safely on his desk. "I'm afraid I'll have to take some of the savings with me Elsa."

Walking over to the desk, he grabbed a pen and a scrap piece of paper. As he opened the box, he began to remove the bills. While he was placing the money on the desk, he started to scribble on the paper that he placed inside the box at the same time. "Don't worry though, I'll just sign a few checks and some papers. Use them as fast as possible, please."

Closing the box and tucking it safely inside the bottom drawer, he withdrew a key and locked it. "I want you to run those papers to Mr. Victor Mortiz as soon as possible. He'll understand what to do next."

Wrapping his daughter in his embrace, he grabbed what he had come for and hurried towards the door. "Elsa, remember, those papers are a matter of life and death." Taking one last look at his daughter, Ludwig dashed back into the night.

Elsa was left standing in the room as she watched her father break into a mad run and disappear into the night. "How strange" she thought as she closed the door and went to inspect the papers. Sitting down at the desk, she brought the lamp closer to herself as she started to rifle through the assorted bills and notes. Picking up the one her father had hastily written, she gasped as she brought it to the light.

Silently reading, her face paled as she viewed her father's words:

"Elsa, you are in danger. Open box under my bed and get contents to Dr. Seward. No time, leave now!"

Crumbling the paper up, she held it over the lamp's flame and watched it burn. Disposing of the ashes, she drew her robe closer as she hurried up the stairs to the small upper level. Throwing open her father's door, she made her way inside as she peered under the bed and spied the box he mentioned. Dragging it out, she lifted the lid to see a small stack of papers and address. Beneath the papers was a small stack of money, as well as something that made her skin crawl.

Neatly tucked alongside the money was a pistol. Elsa had never seen her father carrying a gun around the house, but she knew something was greatly amiss. Gently taking the gun out, she checked the ammo and found it loaded. Her father disapproved of weapons, but he made sure she knew how to use one. She never thought to question him, although at this point she wished she had.

Putting the gun back, she closed the box and took it with her into her room. Quickly changing, she grabbed the box and a few travel items before quietly slipping out of the house and making her way towards the main road.

From the diary of John Seward, MD

_I must confess I have been rather lack in regards to my journal. It has been almost a full year since the events that brought closure to my own heartache, as well as my meeting my two assistants. _

_Amira, since her stay here, has had some trouble fitting in. Searching for a cure for her condition has as of yet proved unsuccessful. Every full moon we manage to keep her locked up in the secure wing of the asylum, but I am not sure how long we can keep this up. She has been suffering from severe manic episodes during the days of the full moon, with near suicidal depression the morning after. We have all been fortunate that the wolf has not escaped, although I admit I am more than terrified at the thought of it._

_The mute (she has not yet responded to any given name) has been doing surprisingly well, given her origin. Her skin has regained some color, which has eased the questions I am finding myself having to answer. The scars can be passed off as a result of an accident, but bluish-gray skin is a bit harder to explain. Her strength is almost superhuman (note, call stone mason in the morning) but she still says nothing. I've had the best medical men in England examine her, yet there is no reason for her muteness. _

_Things have been quiet, so naturally I must assume that some grave evil will rouse me out of bed one night. There have been more and more sightings of unnatural things both here and abroad. My position in the medical community gives some access to these cases, but I am old and growing older by the second. _

_What will become of my work when I am gone? Both the girls are more than capable of taking care of themselves, but I fear they lack the patience or the skills needed to run the asylum. _

A few days later

Elsa Frankenstein nervously popped her knuckles as she walked. The meeting with Victor Mortiz had gone over as about as well as it could have, with her bursting into the man's home in the middle of the night. She remembered the lawyer's disbelief at first, but he eventually gave her the name of someone who could help her. An English doctor who had a rather odd history. Using the last of the money, she had arranged travel to England that very night and here she found herself.

Thankful for the English she had learned from her father, she had managed to locate the whereabouts of the man Mortiz had told her to see.

And thus she found herself standing before the wrought iron gate of the asylum just outside of Whitby. Steeling her nerves, she made her way past the gate and into the nearest building.

Ignoring the howls of the few inmates that were being lead down the halls by the guards, Elsa carefully made her way to the front desk. "Hello, I am looking for Dr. Seward." She said in lightly accented English.

The old woman behind the desk looked up, shrugged, and then looked back down. "He's walking the grounds missy. If it's important, I suggest you wait by his office."

Elsa, unsure and tired, nodded mutely before walking down the labyrinthine halls until she spotted the name 'Seward' spelled over a set of doors. Sitting down in a convenient chair, she went over what she was going to say to the man.

She tried to think of an explanation. Should she revel her family's shame? Mr. Mortiz told her that Dr. Seward had encountered her grandfather, yet the details were fuzzy to her. She knew Seward had gone to Mr. Mortiz due to his assistants and the fire at her grandfather's estate, but the actual details of what the man had done had not been written down.

She sat, idly counting the minutes that slowly turned into hours, and still thinking of just what to say when the doors opened. Leaping to her feet, she tried to present herself as rational and calm, despite her frazzled appearance.

Lurking in the doorway as a waif of a girl not much older than herself. Her face was marred with scars that seemed to trail alongside her face and hands. The girl looked at Elsa with two of the saddest eyes (both of them being different colors, Elsa noticed) that she had ever seen. The girl nodded silently to her and stepped aside. Gesturing to the desk at the far side of the room, Elsa took the hint and moved in.

"I'm sorry I took so long Miss, but being in charge of this facility can be rather tiring." Dr. Seward spoke as he turned around. Elsa was shocked at his appearance. His hair was pure white and his face was lined with age. His body sagged, but she could tell it was not from old age. He looked as if he had just retuned from front of some horrible war. She had to snap herself to attention when she realized he was politely waiting for her to speak.

"Dr. Seward, my name is Elsa Frankenstein" began Elsa, but the mute girl went into hysterics as soon as she spoke. The girl gave a horse cry and curled up in the corner. Her screams were deafening, and her thrashing limbs nearly knocked Elsa off her feet. A side door to the office flew open and another young woman burst in. She was tall, dark, and Elsa knew right away that she had a trace of gypsy blood in her. The new arrival stared at the girl before turning her attention to Elsa. She snorted in disgust before gently picking the girl up and carrying her out.

As the girl's screams faded down the hall, Elsa turned back to face Dr. Seward. The doctor looked nonplussed at the girl's reaction to her. He looked more interested in her reaction to the girl. She sighed and handed over her father's notes, along with a bound journal. "Here are my father's papers. I have come to you because I fear for my father's life."

"Why come to me? Why not go to the police?"

Elsa gave an ironic laugh. "You saw that poor girl's reaction to my name. I am young doctor, but even I know of my family's history. Besides" she continued, "I rather doubt that a small village police force could handle what my father is involved with."

"And that is?" Dr. Seward pressed forward.

She faltered. "I'm not sure. He mentioned your name in his notes, and there are bizarre medical notes in his papers. He never told me what was going on at the clinic, but he mentioned a name. Someone called "Pretorius."

At the sound of the name, Seward paled. "Good Lord, Pretorius?"

"Then you know of him? What could he want with my father?"

Seward moved over to his bookcase and started browsing through the various volumes. "I've heard the name. He was a doctor, but there was some form of scandal. He spoke of dark things and was labeled a madman by his peers. I spent some time following the scandal, but whatever he wants, I know no good can come of it."

Removing a slim journal, he flipped through it until he came to the particular page. "Pretorius wrote of creating life, of building new species and subverting the basic design of the human body. Some compared him to your ancestor, but he vanished from the public eye some time ago. Ms. Frankenstein, if he has returned and is working with your father, then I shudder to think of he could create. Tell me, where is your father now?"

The words were caught in her throat. "He, he said was going on a trip. I didn't think to ask where."

Seward shook his head. "Then we have no time to lose." Grabbing his coat, he started out of the office. "We must alert the proper authorities of this, but I think my aides and I shall accompany you back home. Pretorius, with your family's knowledge, could unleash all manners of unspeakable horrors on mankind unless he is stopped!"

Elsa nodded in agreement. "My father said he was going on a trip, but I don't know the location."

Dr. Seward shook his head. "It doesn't matter; you must stay here while my aides and I begin our journey at your father's clinic."

Elsa jumped out of her chair. Her face was a deep shade of crimson. "And stand idly by while my father could be in mortal peril? I think not! I am a Frankenstein. My family has caused countless horrors, yes, but should it not a Frankenstein that helps right some of those wrongs?"

Dr. Seward looked at her, then to Amira and the Girl (who was calmed enough to stand silently behind the gypsy's back), who were both standing in the doorway. "What say you?"

Amira threw a lock of stray hair over her ear as she answered. "If she can prove useful, then I don't care." The Girl stayed silent, but her downcast eyes showed that she wasn't as trusting as her friend.

Dr. Seward nodded at the answer. "Very well Ms. Frankenstein. You may accompany us as far as the continent, but after that I expect us to part ways."

Sticking his hand out, Elsa similarly reached out and grasped it. "Agreed."

Meanwhile, across the ocean aboard a nearly rusted out ship, two men were discussing their future.

Dr. Pretorius had the same half-smile/half smirk that he wore when the ship first set out. Dr. Frankenstein, on the other hand, nervously ran his fingers through his thinning hair. "Relax Ludwig. Everything was taken care of; our cargo was secured properly, our tracks covered, and the land of Egypt is waiting for us. You have nothing to worry about." The last words sounding more like a commanded than a reassurance.

"I know that" Ludwig began as he wiped the rivulets of sweat off the back of his neck, "but there is always a chance someone could find us. What about Bohmer? I doubt he'll just sit back and let me leave the country."

Pretorius's smile grew wider. "Don't worry about that small-minded fool. He is no longer a concern to anyone."

Deciding not to press the matter, Ludwig cleared his throat and tried to change the subject. "So, tell me again; once we reach Egypt, what exactly are we to do there?"

"We will restore the Creature to his full power. Finding the scroll might be difficult, but I do have a few leads to go on. Don't concern yourself with such trivialities."

From the journal of John Seward, MD

_We arrived at the clinic earlier this evening. There had already been a commotion in the town, and our arriving with Elsa did little to calm the locals. It seems the body of Dr. Frankenstein's partner was found within the cellar of the clinic, and all the signs point towards Elsa's father. The local constable had her questioned, but thankfully she was let go. _

_There were some questions about the nature of my visit, but thankfully I was able to deflect most of them. After all, one doctor seeing another is hardly curious. Amira was able to find a few clues. She is fast becoming a rather decent detective I must admit. A man matching Dr. Frankenstein's description was seen heading towards the coast after making arrangements about a ship. _

_We have no idea where the man went, but a slim lead is better than none. Note to self: Keep this journal hidden. It wouldn't do to have some nosy customs official browsing through this volume_.

September 30

From the diary of Amira

_I have started keeping a record of my thoughts at Dr. Seward's urging. So far things have been rather lousy. We reached the nearest port and searched, but the only ship that had the two men we are looking for set sail for Africa some time ago. We have no idea were to go, but Dr. Seward seems to think we are on the right track. It's all up to him now I guess._

_Elsa has managed to talk the doctor into letting her come with us to Africa. I am against this. The Girl is terrified of her, and I can't say as I disagree with her. Elsa has done nothing to us, yet knowing her background makes me unable to let accept her gestures of friendship._

_The full moon is getting closer. I know that this might worry the doctor, but I can't help but feel happy about it. I think it is about 3 weeks away. _

_Time is against us._

Egypt

The trip had been thankfully uneventful. Frankenstein had no idea where Pretorius had hidden the Creature, and frankly at this point he no longer cared. They had managed to procure lodgings in one of the poorer neighborhoods in Cairo, under the shadow of the great pyramids.

Looking out on the dark night and the ever-shifting sand, Frankenstein felt hopeless as Pretorius skipped on a long jacket and made his way towards the door. "Where are you going now?"

Pretorius never bothered to look back. "I have a few old friends to visit. The Scroll of Thoth is not something you pick up in a flea market you know. I shall return by the morning." And without further warning, he left. Frankenstein focused his attention back on the sands and the moonless night. The night brought him no comfort.

From the journal of John Seward, MD

_We have made some progress, albeit very little. Investigations have provided us with the destination of out fugitives. Two men who matched their descriptions and had several large crates with them booked passage to Africa- Egypt to be exact._

_This new discovery is good, yet I can't help but feel puzzled. Why should they go there? _

October 1

Frankenstein woke with a start. A quick glance assured him that he was still in Egypt. Rising from the chair, he winced as he felt his bones popping. "No more sleeping a chairs," He swore to himself as he heard the door opening. "Who's there?" shouted Frankenstein as his nerves were instantly shattered by the sound of footsteps just outside the door.

The sounds stopped; Frankenstein felt his blood turn to ice as the door before him slowly opened as if on its own accord. In the doorway stood a man. He was tall, gaunt, with skin so blasted by the sun he swore the man should shatter where he stood.

The man silently walked into the room with Dr. Pretorius right behind him. "Ludwig, here's a fellow I think you should meet." He gestured towards the man, who stood over in the corner, his eyes never blinking as he took in the details of the room.

"My name is Ardath Bay." The man spoke with authority.

"How do you do?" Frankenstein tried to sound polite as he stuck out his hand in a gesture of greeting.

"Forgive me if I do not shake your hand. An eastern prejudice." Bay remained in the corner, his pale eyes never blinking as he stared out at the room.

"Imagine my shock Ludwig" Pretorius interrupted as he poured himself a drink, "I was prepared to spend all night haggling with some scruffy camel dealer about the scroll, when Mr. Bay arrived with not only a translation, but, well perhaps it would sound better coming from you."

Bay slowly nodded as he took over the narrative. "Thank you. Yes gentlemen, I do possess a copy of the Scroll of Thoth, but I fear it is not complete."

Pretorius's eyes narrowed. "Not complete? You told me you had a total translation." His voice grew lower as he looked at the man. "You lied to me!"

Bay, his face unchanging, continued to speak as he ignored the irate scientist. "Not so; I merely told you I had in my hands a complete translation, but you did not let me finish. My copy is simply the translation of all that has been found before, but there are incantations missing."

"Bah!" Pretorius, his anger building, threw his drink down and stormed around the room. "You have wasted my time! Get out you charlatan!"

Bay didn't move as he continued to speak. "Forgive me, but you failed to let me finish again. While my copy is incomplete, it should please you to know that I do know where the original scroll is, and I can also translate it for you."

Pretorius stopped, but he still looked suspiciously at the taller stranger. "You bring this to my attention now? You're hiding something Bay. What is it?"

Bay walked, although with his flowing robe it appeared as if he were gliding, towards the door. He stooped as he reached the knob and glared at them both. "Meet me outside the British Museum tomorrow before midnight. Everything shall be explained then." He then left without making a sound.

Frankenstein gasped. He didn't realize he had been holding his breath in Bay's presence. Shaking his head, he felt like a spectator to a battle of supreme wills; he knew that he was completely over his head. "Where on Earth did you find him?" he tried to joke.

"I didn't; he found me. This is most strange Ludwig. No one could have known we were coming here, yet this Bay fellow picks me out of a crowd with no difficulty. He wants something alright, but I dare not guess as to what."

"We won't be meeting with him tomorrow then?"

"Bite your tongue man! This is still the best lead we have been given. No, we shall be meeting with as planned, but we shall have some assistance with us."

The sinister look in Pretorius's eyes told Frankenstein exactly what he had meant. "You mean we'll be bringing that monster with us?"

Pretorius nodded as he poured himself another drink. "Don't worry Ludwig, I can still control the creature with no difficulty. Should our eastern friend try anything, he will quickly find himself in the Creature's tender mercies."

From the journal of John Seward, MD

_We have arrived in Cairo by airplane. The trip was surprisingly swift, although I fear the Girl will no longer fly. The trip was too much for her, and I doubt the airliner crew will be able to repair all the damage she caused._

_I have made arrangements to stay with an old friend of mine. Dr. Muller is presently looking after the daughter of some local dignitary, and his house will be ours to use. _

_The basement is large, and there is no means of escape. Coupled with the heavy door, it should be perfect for holding Amira during the full moon._

_Now that we are here, I admit I am a little lost. Where could our quarry be? Elsa, I'm afraid, has not been able to help. She insisted on coming along, but even she has no idea where her father would go in this strange land. _

_So far our days have been filled with tracking our pray down, and coming back empty handed. Frankenstein and Pretorius have managed to disappear. They must surface sooner or later. A man like Pretorius is unable to keep himself hidden for too long. Sooner or later he'll slip up, and we will spring the trap._

Midnight

As the appointed hour came, three very unlikely visitors entered the British Museum of Natural History. The front gate was easily opened by Bay, who had no trouble in picking open the lock and marching through the gate.

Behind him followed Pretorius, and behind him was Frankenstein. Silently they moved. The front door was easily opened and quickly the three slipped inside. Making their way past priceless artifacts, the trio slipped down one of the numerous halls until they reached a roped off section containing a mummy inside a glass case.

Bay glanced around before stepping over the velvet rope and approaching the display case. "I shall need time alone here to translate. Keep watch, and make sure none of the guards find us."

Leaving him to his work, the two scientists stepped back out into the main hall. As their footsteps died away, Bay removed a yellowed piece of parchment along with a small bowel from within his robe. Taking a few brittle leaves out, he crumbled them to powder in his wrinkled hands and poured the it into the bowl.

Spreading the scroll out, Bay began to read in a tongue that had not been uttered for well over three thousand years. His chant was low, as not to attract his companions, but his pitch increased as he struck a match and dropped it into the bowl. The smoke rose and quickly drifted over the mummy. Bay's eyes rolled upwards as his chant rose. The cloud shifted and started to a take shape.

"Anckesen-Amon!" he cried as the cloud suddenly dissipated and vanished. Collapsing into a heap, Bay gripped the bowl with trembling fingers. "So, I am still cursed, eh watchdog of Osiris? I know your master will never allow me to find rest for my actions, but a trade is still possible."

Bay suddenly put the fire out as he heard a commotion down the hall. Rolling the scroll back up and gathering the rest of his items, he hurried towards the source of the excitement.

Frankenstein cursed under his breath when he spotted the tall Egyptian staring at him from the shadows. "What is amiss?" Bay asked in a neutral tone.

"That!" Frankenstein had to fight to keep from screaming as he pointed over to a nearby wall. Pretorius and another figure were standing over the crumpled remains of what was formerly a museum guard. The man's face was contorted in a horrid grimace as his lifeless eyes stared upwards at the ceiling.

"Who did you bring with you?" Bay almost shouted as he stared at the stranger.

"Merely a…associate of mine. I thought his strength would be of use to us. We were ambushed by the guard when he stepped in and saved both our lives." Pretorius offered. He was lightly dusting his shoulder as he poked the dead body with the tip of shoe.

"An unneeded bit of melodrama. I have translated the rest of the scroll. We must flee before the rest of the guards appear." As Bay spoke, they could hear the sounds of the other guards rushing to their location.

Without saying a word, the four men rushed back towards the exit. Narrowly missing the guards, they exited out through a service door and made their way back. "I shall return in the morning. We will discuss this event later." Bay warned as he departed down one of the many winding side streets, leaving the two doctors and the unnatural creature alone in the dust.

From the journal of John Seward, MD

_Our arrival in Cairo coincided with a break-in at the local museum and the murder of a guard. I was able to find a few facts about this that proves we are on the right track. The guard's neck was broken like a twig, but there was nothing stolen. The police have already written the case off, thinking the killer must have been there to rob and the guard's appearance and subsequent death must have frightened the thief away._

_The guard was murdered in such a way that leaves me no doubt that the Monster is here, as well as Frankenstein and Pretorius. But what could they want inside the museum? Nothing was taken, nor were any exhibits tampered with. Why would they come here of all places? _

_I've taken the liberty of sending Amira and Elsa out to canvas the city, in the hope of perhaps turning up a clue. The Girl is not suited for being in public by herself just yet, so she is staying with me at Muller's house. She is proving to quite an excellent bodyguard._

_More later _

The next day

Frankenstein wiped the sweat from his brow as he walked down the side street towards the address Bay had given him. When he awoke that morning, Pretorius was missing. He didn't know if he should have been happy or terrified at that, but the note from Bay insisted he came to the run-down house as directed by the instructions.

The howling of dogs greeted him as he nervously rapped his knuckles on the wooden door. Despite the heat, he felt a cold shiver creeping down his back as the door slowly creaked open and he found himself staring into the shriveled face of Ardath Bay. "You came. Good." Bay silently stepped aside and gestured for him to enter. Frankenstein stepped into the foyer and marveled at the coolness of the room.

"May I offer you anything?" Bay asked as a portly man took Frankenstein's hat. The servant had a glazed look over his face, and his mouth was partially open as he shuffled off back into the house.

"No. No thank you. Mr. Bay, why did you call me here?"

Bay settled down on a large pile of pillows. Leaning back, he began to speak as his eyes took on a glassy look. "Dr. Frankenstein, I am well aware of your family's history. I also am aware of Dr. Pretorius's crimes, and that large being that murdered the guard is none other than the monster that your ancestor made with his own two hands."

Frankenstein blanched and suddenly felt rather week in the knees. "Alright, you know all of our secrets. Do you intend to blackmail us? I warn you, Pretorius is a dangerous man."

"As I said, I am aware of his crimes. No doctor, you could not give me what I desire. My reason for brining you here, doctor is because I have need of the monster. My exact reasons are private, but I can assure you that the Creature will be no more."

Frankenstein nearly collapsed as he heard the man speak. "What? You mean to do what no other creature on this Earth has been able to do?"

Bay simply nodded. "Yes. That is all you need to know regarding that. All that I require from you is to arrange your master's arrival at this spot." Bay spoke as he struck a small gong. The servant entered the room carrying a detailed map on a silver tray. As Frankenstein took the map, Bay rose from his seat. "You must be at the location precisely at midnight."

Frankenstein let out a high-pitched laugh at the man. "You, kill the Monster? Impossible! You'd be throwing your life away Mr. Bay, and I'm risking mine just being here. Pretorius is damned, and he is taking me down with him!" Frankenstein's laughter grew until he saw Bay towering over him. His laughter died instantly as the taller man's hands wrapped around his throat.

Struggling to break free from Bay's iron-like grip, Frankenstein gasped for air. "What the devil are you?"

"A man, Dr. Frankenstein. You will bring your master and your monster to the location at the date that is written. Tell him what he desires will be there. You will bring the Creature to me Dr. Frankenstein. You have no say in the matter."

Frankenstein stared directly into Bay's eyes. He felt himself being set back down, but it was like he was watching someone else. The room started to spin as Bay's piercing eyes filled the room, until he was only watching the unblinking eye looking directly back at him through a dusty haze.

Blinking, Frankenstein found himself standing alone on a street corner. The memory of the past few minutes were fading, but he knew had to do something. Unconsciously he traced his fingers over the slight outline in his pocket as he started to walk.

From the journal of John Seward, MD

_Our hunting has given us some fruit. We recently discovered that two men, both matching the description of our prey, were seen making inquires about procuring some equipment from various local dealers. While we were able to find what those devils are now equipped with, it still gives us no clues as to what their goal is._

_Amira compiled a neat list of their gear and tools, while Elsa managed to discover their destination. Two men, who made inquires about employing several teams of diggers, were last seen asking questions about some type of temple._

_Details are sketchy at this point. Frankenstein and Pretorius have been asking around about hiring men to dig for them, but from what we have gathered it has been an exercise in futility. _

_They have been making inquires about digging in an undisclosed location far to the west, out in the desert. Dr. Muller was kind enough to explain that only a handful of men would even dare to go out that far. It seems that the region that they have been asking about was used to bury the condemned. The land has an ill repute, and thus no one will dig. This could be our chance. We know where they are going, and we know they will be hindered. _

_Amira has been getting nervous all day. The full moon is only a few days away. It will take us that long to arrive there, but I do not any idea what we are to do. The police would never believe us, and my presence might attract some more attention than is needed. By the time we arrived, assuming we arrived at the same exact spot, the moon would have already risen. We have nothing that would keep her animal side bound; yet I can't just leave her here. Her skills and strength could come in handy during a tight spot, yet the Wolf has no ways of telling friend from foe._

_The hour draws late, and I must plan. Elsa has insisted that she will accompany us to the end. If anyone alive can reach Frankenstein, it would be her._

_The Girl I am still unsure about. She has the strength needed, yet she is still unwilling to use against a live opponent. I don't know what kind deviltry Pretorius will use, but we must be at full power before we face him and that Creature. _

October 31

The sun blazed overhead as the small party rode out into the desert. Frankenstein rode in the lead. He vaguely recalled telling Pretorius about something, but he knew he had to follow the map he had.

Pretorius trailed behind him. The meeting in the early hours of the dawn between him and Frankenstein had been brief to say the least. Bay had not arrived, nor had he been able to find him despite his best efforts. That fact alone made him suspicious. Frankenstein's message of Bay wanting to meet in a secret rendezvous out in the middle of the desert did little to quell the suspicion. Bay's actions made him uneasy. Frankenstein had promised him that Bay would be able to bring the Monster back to full power by using some form of archaic ritual. Of course, the question is just how did Frankenstein come about with this particular piece of information?

Pretorius decided to play along in any event. Casting a glance to the massive robed figure that walked beside him, he had no doubt that the usefulness of Ludwig Frankenstein was about to come crashing to a halt.

From the Journal of John Seward, MD

_We have had some success. Although like everything else here it is riddled with failure; Elsa found a man who sold a pair of camels to two European men who paid in cash. The dealer overheard them talking, and they are heading towards a lonely valley almost a day's journey away. Everything fits, so we must leave at once. _

_Amira, against my better judgment, is coming with us. Elsa and the Girl are leaving as well. I have no idea what to expect out there in the desert, and I admit this whole business is quite out of my experience. I am borrowing Muller's rifle, as well as a few pistols Elsa procured in town. I have also packed a few vials of Holy Water, as well as a cross. _

_What can Frankenstein be up to? Is he planning on creating more creatures? This entire trip has left me puzzled. _

_-This might be my last entry. We are leaving with some horses Muller loaned us. He is a good friend, and should I fail to return I am leaving this and all my other papers in his care. Amira and the Girl know of my plans, and I have made peace. God willing I will write again._

_JS_

The small party rode through the desert as the sun blazed down overhead. Dr. Seward glanced down at his map as he rode. It had taken some time, and a bit of money, but they had learned just where Dr. Frankenstein and his party were going. He sighed; at the rate they were traveling, it would be nightfall by the time they arrived at the valley. Tucking the map back into his shirt once he was convinced they were heading on the right path, He shot a glance back at his companions.

Amira rode with one hand on the reigns and the other holding onto the horse's mane. The animal had tried to throw her several times, but she had proved she wasn't that easy to dislodge. Elsa and the Girl were trailing behind her.

The group traveled in silence as they rode. None of them really knew what to expect out there in the sands, and their ignorance could prove to be fatal.

Many miles away, tucked away in a small valley that only a few living men knew of, Pretorius and Frankenstein arrived. Standing at the mouth of the valley was none other than Ardeth Bay himself. "I am pleased to see you arrived." He said as he took the camel's reigns. "Everything is in place for the ceremony, but we must wait until the rise of the moon."

Pretorius nodded his head as he whistled. The Monster slowly shuffled forward and stared to remove the bundled up equipment from the camel's saddlebags. "Very well. I shall be retiring in my tent until I am needed." He whistled again as the Monster followed him off into the valley.

Frankenstein, who had been in a dazed stupor the moment he had laid eyes on Bay, snapped out of it as Bay passed his hand over his face. Blinking, he looked around wildly. "Where am I?" he almost shouted as Bay clamped his hand down on Frankenstein's wrist.

"Calm yourself." Bay spoke softly, as the exact memory of what had transpired suddenly came back to Frankenstein. "This secret valley is where you shall be free of the weight that hangs from your neck sir. I apologize for forcing you here, but if you knew my reasons, you would understand."

"I know nothing, save that I have forced against my will!" Frankenstein rubbed his wrist, and looked down in confusion when he saw his flesh covered in what looked like gray dust.

Bay sighed; looking down into the deeper depths of the valley he spied Pretorius ordering the Monster around. "Perhaps it is time my story was told. Come with me sir, and I shall explain my reasons for deceiving you."

Walking past the incredulous scientist, Bay stopped before a slight outcropping of rocks. Gently pressing his hand against a particularly smooth stone, he stepped back as the rock face slid open to revel a long passageway. Silently, he stepped forward into the darkness with Frankenstein tailing behind. The pair walked in silence and darkness as they pressed further and further into the strange path.

Frankenstein was relieved when he spotted the two torches lining the walls up ahead as Bay suddenly stopped. Looking past Bay, Frankenstein found himself at the opening of a large chamber. "This is where it shall begin and where it shall end" Bay spoke suddenly as he turned around. Frankenstein felt himself growing dizzy as he saw those piercing eyes gazing around the chamber, but Bay ignored him and seated himself before a large stone altar. "Dr. Frankenstein, tell me, have you ever heard the name of Im-ho-tep?"

"Wasn't he a architect or some such thing?" Frankenstein answered as he looked around the chamber. The area was large, although with the two torches being the only sources of light he didn't know how large the chamber or was or if there were any other means of leaving.

Bay seemed amused by his response. "No, that was another man in another dynasty. Im-ho-tep was a high priest who lived 3700 years ago. He was the high priest to the Pharaoh, and was his most trusted aide." His eyes looked past Frankenstein as he spoke. "I'm not surprised by your ignorance doctor. You see Im-ho-tep's name was utterly erased from land. There would be no mentioning of him, his work, and anyone who claimed him as a friend was executed. His name would be forgotten, even to your explorers and grave robbers."

Gathering his long robe together, Bay continued to speak as he glanced around the chamber. "I suppose the name of Anckesen-Amon is unknown to you as well; no matter. Her fate and Im-ho-tep's removal are linked. You see he was very much in love with her. She was the only daughter of the Pharaoh however, and thus their love was forbidden. They pledged their love for each other though, with each swearing that not even the gods themselves could keep them apart."

Bay's tone grew bitter as he spoke. "Naturally the princess grew sick shortly afterwards. Not even the best physicians could stave off death forever, and she died. Im-ho-tep, however, swore to bring her back to life."

Frankenstein paled in the dim light. "Bring the dead back? How? Even my ancestor was unable to restore life to a single corpse."

"Because your infamous forefather relied on science. Im-ho-tep had access to all secrets of the temple, including scrolls that other men had declared forbidden. In one he found the means to restore both her body, which had already undergone the process of mummification, and her soul. Gathering his most loyal priests, Im-ho-tep broke into her tomb as the moon hanged high overhead and removed her body. Fleeing across the desert to this forgotten temple, he set about the process to restore his love."

Bay took one of the burning torches and used its flame to light another fire behind the altar. "But the Pharaoh caught wind of the plot, and dispatched his guards to hunt Im-ho-tep and bring his daughter's body back. The guards interrupted the ceremony and slew the lesser priests. Im-ho-tep was spared only long enough to be buried alive in an unmarked tomb. Of course, the guards made sure to desecrate the sarcophagus so that he would be damned not only in this world, but the next as well."

Frankenstein wiped the sweat from his brow as Bay finished his tale. "That was a most interesting story Mr. Bay." The words fumbled in his mouth as he back up against the wall. "Tell me, this place, was it the spot of that ceremony?"

Bay stood up to his full height as he placed the torch back in its holder. "Dr. Frankenstein, you are about to witness a most remarkable event seldom seen by mortal eyes. All that I ask from you is that you do not interfere."

"But what of Pretorius?"

The corners of Bay's mouth jerked upwards. "What of him? He would be powerless in any event, and once the Monster is upon the altar I will begin the spell. Kill the man yourself if you have to, but no one must be allowed to interfere."

Outside

Pretorius smiled as he gazed over at the Creature. "You are truly an amazing being. Virtually immortal, and possessing the strength of nearly a dozen men." Walking over to the Creature (who was standing still by the man's tent after putting it up), Pretorius ran his fingers over the Creature's scarred face. "I admit the outside could use some work, but the rest of the package makes up for that. I only wish Ludwig wasn't so much of a fool though. Oh well, maybe next time I'll pick an assistant with more of a backbone."

Slipping inside the tent, Pretorius began to rummage through his bags. "Bay is the still the wild card in this, but as long as he has the Scroll of Thoth I have to play this game." Taking a pistol out of his bag, he checked the chambers as he continued to muse aloud. "Of course, I must only wait a few more hours, then my godhood will be assured." Grinning, he began to load the gun…

Several hours later

The sun was beginning its gradual descent over the sand. Some distance from the valley, and tucked behind several sand dunes, Dr. Seward sat with a pair of binoculars in his hands and a rifle in his lap. The Girl, Amira, and Elsa huddled around him. "Alright, we've cornered our prey in that valley" Dr. Seward began as he drew a map in the sand. "From what our own map shows, that valley has no other means of exit, so they have no other place to go." Looking up at the setting sun, he looked at Amira. "It's time Amira."

Amira followed his gaze at the blazing yellow orb as it started to sink. "Yes it is. I'll go around to the north and hopefully the wolf will be able to make some headway." She turned and started to run off into the desert as the three watched her go.

"Will she be alright?" Elsa asked as she turned back to Dr. Seward.

"I don't know. Amira has never been an easy case. Being saddled with such a curse, who's to truly know what happens in her mind? I do know this however: the creature that she will become will be nothing like the girl she is. Werewolves are fast, viscous, and can only be harmed by silver." He patted the rifle as he spoke the last part.

Elsa looked shocked. "What? You don't mean to kill her do you?"

Dr. Seward sighed as he turned his attention towards the valley. "Of course not, I could never harm Amira; the wolf, on the other hand, would have no trouble tearing us all limb from limb. It is for that reason I carry this. Amira would want a quick end to her suffering." Picking up the binoculars again, he started going over the plan. "Alright, assuming Amira is close enough to the north side of the valley before the moon rises, the wolf should start a full assault from that side. Elsa, you and the Girl shall go in from the south side, and I shall proceed with a frontal assault. Hopefully our forces will be enough to halt whatever evil is hatching."

Meanwhile

Amira felt her heart racing as she ran through the sand. The sinking sun was making the sand and dirt around her golden, but she was far more concerned with what the moon would bring. Stopping, she spied a thorny bush near a outcropping of rocks. Slipping her boots off, she uncurled her toes in the hot sand before hurriedly undoing her shirt buttons. The thought of running naked out in the wild strangely did not seem as scandalous as it would have a year ago. Tossing her shirt over her boots, her pants and belt quickly joined the other garments and her weapons.

Shivering, although not from the dropping temperature, Amira jogged away from the clothes, lest her 'other' self catch the sent and tear her garments to pieces. "I wonder what papa would say if his only daughter was caught in such a way?" she thought as she began to climb down the rocky slope into the valley below. "Probably tan my backside with his whip" she answered her own question as she made her way down a small path. She winced as the stones cut into her bare feet, but she ignored the pain as she continued down the path.

Ducking behind a boulder, she held her breath as the sun totally disappeared from sight. As the darkness of the valley closed in on her, Amira's heart started to race as the first signs of the transformation started. Her hands and feet both started to ache, forcing her to her knees as she heard the sounds of people talking down below.

Trying to see what was going on, she bit down on her lip as black claws tore through her fingertips. Her lip was shredded as her normal sized teeth were quickly knocked out of the way to make room for the sharp fangs that quickly filled her maw and tore through her lips. Muscles grew and stretched under her skin as her bones shifted and reshaped.

Down below, she spied four men gathering near an entrance cut into the side of the cliff. Her mind was feeling hazy as her bestial instincts started to take over. Forcing herself to stay quiet, she ground her fangs in agony as her ankles snapped apart and reformed into a more lupine shape. Dark fur started to spread over her body as the Wolf began to take over. Her ears lengthened as her hair grew longer. With her last bit of will, she shook her head as she saw the figures disappear into the entrance and the wall close up behind them.

Amira faded away as the Wolf took over. Her face cracked as a muzzle grew to replace the beautiful features and fur quickly spread over the remainder of her body. The Wolf looked up at the moon and gave a long howl as it lusted after something it had been denied for far too long: meat

While inside the cave entrance

The howling outside made the strange party pause. "I say, what was that?" Frankenstein asked. His hands were shaking as he tried to wipe the sweat from his brow.

"A jackal, most likely." Bay offered as he took one of the torches from its holder and moved to the front. "Desert scavengers doctor. Have no fear, they can not harm us in here."

Pretorius fell back in step. Keeping the Monster in front of him, he shot a glance back at Frankenstein. "That was no jackal. It sounded more like a wolf."

"The walls must have distorted the sound, that's all." Frankenstein tried to reassure Pretorius. He hung back further, hoping the shadows would mask his guilt.

"Hmm, perhaps you're right. Besides, what can a mangy animal do?" Pretorius joked as they walked further. Coming into the chamber, Bay moved silently around the stone altar as the two scientists and the Monster watched.

"Have the Creature lay down upon the altar, and we shall begin the process." Bay intoned as he tossed a handful of dried leaves into a lit brazier. The fire turned black as white smoke began to pour out. Pretorius whistled and gestured at the Creature, leading towards the stone slab. It nodded once and sat down dumbly upon the rock and stretched out. Bay took his place near the Creature's head and reached into his robes. Pulling out a dried parchment, he gently placed it near the brazier.

But no more had he started to read when Pretorius pulled out his gun and pointed directly at Bay. "That will be quite enough Mr. Bay." Pretorius calmly spoke as he walked over to the altar. "I thank you for the trouble of leading us to this secret temple, but now I am afraid I must insist that you step away from the scroll."

"What are you doing?" Bay shouted, his withered face distorted in rage as he stared down at the long barrel of the gun.

"Merely what you yourself were ready to do; betray us for your own ends of course. I needed the location of this temple and a full copy of the scroll Mr. Bay. I was aware that you had both in your possession, and I played along. Now, if you please?" Pretorius gestured off to the side. "Don't worry, I have no intention of stealing you precious scroll, but I am afraid that I must use it for another ritual."

Bay calmly stepped off to the darkened shadows. "What other ritual?"

Pretorius smiled as he drew himself up to his full height and glowered over them. "Surely you thought it odd I never told you what I wanted you to do my creature?"

"But, but you said you wanted him restored to his full power!" Frankenstein protested.

"Indeed, but there is no spell that will bring this dull sack of flesh back to life. No, in this ancient document is a spell dealing with the soul. Namely the transference of souls, and I intend to house this wondrous intellect of mine in a body to await the next century."

"I can not allow that." Bay said.

Pretorius shrugged. "Very well." Firing the gun twice, he smiled as he saw the bullets tear through Bay's chest. His smile died though, as he saw Bay still standing. "What's going on?"

Bay, the twin holes in his chest leaking dust, glowered at Pretorius. "Something far more important than your pitiful mind can comprehend." Behind Bay, a small group of men silently stepped out of the shadows and into the dull light. Frankenstein recognized one of the men as the servant in Bay's home. The men were all slack jawed and empty eyed as they filed in behind Bay. "I need that creature Pretorius, but I have no such need for you."

As Pretorius stared wide-eyed in horror at the looming figure of Bay, a massive hand suddenly sized his wrist. "What?" Looking down, the color ran from his face as he saw the hideous face of the Creature staring up at him. Trying to free himself, he winced as the Creature tightened his grip.

The Creature let out a roar as he flung Pretorius over the altar. The elderly man landed with a thud as he struggled to rise. His pistol clattered uselessly on the stone floor by Frankenstein's feet.

The Creature sat up and continued to roar as he overturned the altar. Bay was in a panic. "Stop that beast! I must have the Scroll!" he ordered as the slack-jawed men shuffled towards the monster.

Frankenstein, by this time, had scoped up the discarded gun and was slowly inching towards the exit when he heard his name being called out in the raging din. "Ludwig, help me!"

Looking down, he saw Pretorius crawling on the ground. The man's wrist was obviously shattered. Without thinking, Frankenstein reached down and dragged the injured man to his feet and led him down the way. "Thank you Ludwig" Pretorius gasped as he limped down the corridor.

"Don't thank me yet" Frankenstein found himself saying. Behind them, several of the empty-eyed men were following them. In their hands were long daggers, which managed to gleam despite the poor light. "Those men are slow, but I'm not sure if we can fight or outrun them."

Pretorius, his voice sounding stronger, looked up at Ludwig. "Did you recover my weapon?" he demanded.

"Why, yes I did." Frankenstein looked back to spot the slow moving men behind them. Stopping, he checked how much ammo was left. "Four shots, and at least six men. We can't fight them off with this."

"We won't have to" Pretorius spoke as he wrenched himself free of Frankenstein's grasp and lunged for the gun. Frankenstein jumped back from the attack, and in the confusion fired the pistol. Pretorius jerked once and stumbled against the wall. "You shot me." He sounded incredulous as his hands covered the bloody wound in his stomach. Sliding down the wall, he looked confused. "This wasn't supposed to happen." He grew angrier as he looked up. "You incompetent oaf! You've ruined everything!"

Frankenstein looked down at the wailing man. Holding the still smoking gun, he silently backed down the corridor. Ignoring the injured man's screams, he broke into a run. "I still remember how Bay opened the door! I can escape, and leave this madness behind!" He was almost giddy as he ran. Breathing hard, he dashed past various outcroppings of rock until he came to the right one. Reaching (flinching when he heard the scream of Pretorius echoing down the corridor), Frankenstein felt around until he found the right stone. Pressing it, he sighed with relief as the rock face slowly opened up to revel the moonlit sands.

"I'm safe!" he almost wept with joy as he staggered out into the night air. As he moved towards the camels, he was aware of something above him. Turning, and keeping the pistol handy, he whipped around to see only a few loose pebbles tumbling down the cliff and scattering harmlessly near the cave entrance. Nervously giggling, he turned back to find himself face to face with a wolf. A very large, snarling, wolf that towered over him; suddenly his pistol didn't seem quite powerful enough…

Inside the cave

Bay stalked towards the Creature. "I have waited centuries for this moment beast, and I shall not be denied!"

The Creature, snarling, smashed the altar and picked up a chunk of stone to use as a makeshift club. "I have been a puppet for far too long. How exactly do you intend to stop that which can not die?"

Bay smiled at the Creature's threat. "Being undying myself, you'd be surprised." With a wave of his hand Bay stepped back and more empty-eyed men rushed forward. The Creature bellowed in rage as he swung the club left and right. Men fell down by the pair, their heads smashed and jaws shattered, but even the ones who fell still crawled towards the monster. "Being of flesh, you can tire. They have no will save for mine, and my will is unstoppable."

The Creature, having tossed aside the broken piece of slab, smiled savagely as he reached down and plucked one of the men up from the ground. Holding the man by his legs, the Creature swung the man into his fellows. Men scattered like bowling pins before the Creature's onslaught, but as soon as they were knocked down they crawled to their feet and resumed their attack.

"This is pointless monster." Bay sneered. "I will have your soul!"

The Creature tossed the man's broken body away and quickly grabbed another. "Then you'll have to rip it out yourself!"

Outside

Dr. Seward carefully made his way through the moonlit valley as he heard Amira's howl. Seeing Elsa and the Girl approaching from above, he inched forward as he the Wolf standing over something _human_ and howling to the moon as she raised her bloodied claws high overhead.

"Oh dear God!" he whispered as he the bloody mass under her paws twitch. The Wolf turned sharply and stared directly at him. Nervously he checked his rifle when another cry split through the night air.

"You monster!" Elsa screamed as she ran down the path towards the Wolf. "I'll kill you!" she screamed as she started to fire her gun at the Wolf. Her shots were wild, but they were enough to send the Wolf charging into a small cave. Elsa tossed her spent weapon away and fell to her knees before the shredded mass that was once a man. "Father!" she cried as she held the dying man in her arms. Sobbing uncontrollably, she clutched her father to her breast as the scientist's chest stopped moving.

Dr. Seward stood by silently over the scene. "Oh Amira, what have you done?" he whispered as Elsa's cries continued. Nodding to the Girl, he ventured down the same dark path the Wolf had gone down. Checking his rifle again, he made sure that her pain would end one way or another.

Inside the cave

"I have been waiting untold ages for this, you misshapen blob, and I shall be denied no longer!" Bay shouted as he waded past the crushed remains of his servants and stood before the Creature.

The Creature, his blackened lips pulled back in a tight grimace, gestured to Bay. "I too have been denied many times. Why should you be the only one?"

In reply, Bay reached into his robe and removed a curved dagger. "So be it. I'll remove your soul piece by piece!" As he raised the dagger, he stopped as the sounds of something running down the corridor caught his ears. Both Bay and the Creature paused as a new being entered the chamber.

For untold seconds, Bay and the Creature were silent and still as a human sized wolf stepped into the light. The beast was tall; almost as tall as Bay, and the blood drenched claws proved that the beast was dangerous as well. The Creature looked the beast over for a second, and Bay chose to attack. Moving with a surprising speed, Bay leapt at the Creature and slashed at him with his knife.

The Wolf was puzzled. Before her were two creatures, one scent she knew, but the other one was different. The thin man, (although she didn't think in such terms) smelled of the dead and was currently attacking the larger man. Yet he moved like he was alive. This confused the Wolf, who decided to settle the matter. Roaring and baring her fangs, she sprang forward and landed on the dead man's back. Biting and tearing with her fangs, she was rewarded for her efforts with a mouth of dust. Choking, the Wolf rolled off of Bay and tried to stand up as the two beings continued their fight.

The Creature regarded the newcomer with some apprehension. Seeing the wolf attack his enemy however, increased its standing in his eyes. Bay, with dust, sand, and bits of bone pouring out of the gaping hole along his neck and back, stood up and continued his attack. The Creature was confused. "What are you?"

"I am Im-ho-tep, high priest of the Pharaoh, and tonight I shall fulfill my destiny!" Bay shouted as he swung his blade in a wide arch. The knife sliced through the Creature's flesh, but he paid it no mind. His wounds were not deep enough to be fatal, if he could even be killed. Moving back towards a large statue of some forgotten deity, the Creature moved as Bay thrust his blade forward and caught the man's arm. Using Bay's momentum, he pitched Bay into the statue hard enough to knock the stone edifice backwards.

The statue shattered on the ground. Bay scrambled to his feet as he picked up the broken bits of stone in his hands. "Anubis!" Turning to the Creature, Bay tossed the broken bits of stone at the monster. "Have you any idea of the sacrilege you have committed?" said Bay as a deep rumbling started. Bay whipped around and fell to his knees before the broken statue. "No, I beg you Anubis, please let me" but his words were silenced as the rumbling increased. Looking past the Wolf, past the Creature, Bay let out a horrified scream at something unseen.

The Creature stood silent as Bay's entire body suddenly seized up and fell over. As Bay hit the floor, his body broke into countless pieces, and the remains were quickly scatted by an unearthly wind.

The rumbling however, did not stop. Large chunks of rock began to break away from the ceiling and fall to the floor. The Wolf, snarling again, charged at the Creature and slashed at his flesh just before a large hunk of the ceiling fell down between the two and pinned the snarling beast to the wall.

The Creature started to make his way towards freedom when he heard the wolf whimpering in pain. Hearing the beast's moans, something stirred inside the Creature's breast. Ignoring the rocks that bounced off his powerful frame, the Creature moved the rock away with no effort. "You're not a human, so I will forgive my injuries. Attack me again and I'll leave you here." Spoke the Creature as he picked up the wolf with one hand and kept it at arm's length as he ran towards the cave opening.

Running as fast as his thick legs could carry him, the Creature was nearly out in the beckoning moonlight when a figure stepped in front of the mouth of the cave. Judging from the voice, it was probably a man; an armed man. "Stop right there!" the man shouted as he raised his weapon.

"Out of my way" The Creature swatted the man aside as he rushed out into the cool night air. Before him lay the bloodied remains of Ludwig Frankenstein, a sobbing girl, and the one being he thought he would never see again. "You!" shouted the Creature as he dropped the wolf and rushed towards the Girl. "You're alive!"

The Girl backed away, her face riddled with fear as she gazed up at his scared face. "You still fear me?" the Creature asked as he heard the other humans screaming behind him.

Turning around, he saw the wolf snarling at the girl and the older man. The man was pointing a rifle at the wolf but didn't seem able to fire. The Creature stood by. Why should he do anything? Turning his attention back to the girl, he was shocked to see her dashing past him and tackling the wolf.

"Why is she doing that?" he wondered. The Girl and the wolf grabbled, with neither one gaining ground. The hysterical human girl wretched the rifle from the older man's hands and took aim. The Girl saw this, and much to the Creature's horror, threw herself in the path of the bullet as the rifle was fired.

The retort of the rifle echoed all throughout the valley. The Girl staggered as blood flowed freely down her chest. The Wolf, its eyes looking strangely different, stopped its attack and dashed off into the desert. The Creature dashed forward as the two humans tried to approach the Girl. "Get away from her!" he bellowed as he picked her up and started to carry her off. But as he started to take her away, the Girl frantically tugged at his shirt and pointed back to them. "You…want to stay with them?" he asked as he slowed down. The Girl nodded. The Creature tried to argue, but he couldn't find the words. "Very well." He said with no feeling as he placed her back on the sands and started to walk away.

"No!" screamed Elsa as she saw the Creature leaving. "You're the cause of this! You've haunted my family enough you inhuman beast!" screamed Elsa as she drew her own gun and fired. The shot went wide and kicked up the sand around the Creature. "Die!" she fired again, the bullet narrowly missing the Creature's feet.

"Yes, I have caused the Frankenstein family nothing misery, but did not your ancestor treat me the same way? Your family has done nothing but try to use me for its own ends." The Creature spoke. "I was rejected and hunted like a wild animal by the one person that I wanted love from. I am sorry that you have lost your father, but I am not the one to blame."

Elsa, hot tears running down her face, brought her gun to bear on the Girl. "Why didn't you let me kill that beast? She'll kill again you worthless freak!"

Dr. Seward sighed as he tended the Girl's wound. "That's enough! Elsa, I won't expect you to have any sympathy for the Girl or Amira, but she was just protecting her friend."

"A friend that murdered my father! She's just like that abomination!" Elsa cried, pointing to the Creature, "and she should be destroyed alongside him!"

It was the Creature who stepped forward and defended the Girl, much to Dr. Seward's shock. "You're right, she is just like me. She never asked to be born, and I know your grandfather cobbled her together from innocent women that he murdered. Her pain and my mine are shared, but it seems that is all that I am allowed to have." Looking past the grieving Elsa, the Creature spoke to Dr. Seward. "Treat her well." Turning his attention back to Elsa, the Creature's tone turned dark. "I will bring that wolf back here in the morning. If you still want your vengeance, come back here at daybreak. I am tired of this endless chase, and if you are capable of backing up your threats, then I will allow you to end this unnatural life of mine."

From the journal of John Seward, MD

_The past 24 hours have been most hectic. We returned to Dr. Muller's with Dr. Frankenstein's body (which did arouse some questions with our host). Elsa is beside herself with grief and rage. Not that I blame the poor child, and I admit that I am partially guilty of her father's demise. I knew that Amira's bestial self could become deadly, and the wiser course of action would have been to either leave her back in England or have her confined here_.

_The Girl's behavior has been most erratic. Where as she would have flown into a rage a month ago, she has only sat quietly in one of the spare bedrooms. I dare not hazard to guess her thoughts. _

_Elsa…Elsa has told me that she will meet the Creature at daybreak. She has already left, and she has taken my cache of silver bullets_.

The early morning light washed over the desert sands. Elsa stood, with two pistols tucked into her belt, at the mouth of the valley. "So, you did come after all" she heard the familiar voice say behind her.

Drawing both guns, she spun around and leveled them at the speaker's heart. The Creature stood before her, with the naked form of Amira in his arms. "Are you going to shot us both?" the Creature asked. He seemed almost amused by the idea.

"Put her down" Elsa demanded. The Creature complied and dropped the awakening girl. Amira blinked and tried to regain her bearings when she saw Elsa looming over her with a gun.

"What happened?" Amira asked as she saw the bloodstains on her hands. "Oh God, what did I do last night?"

"You killed my father." Elsa said slowly as she drew back on the hammer. "This gun is loaded with silver bullets."

"Are you going to kill me?" Amira asked as tears started to well up in her eyes. "Please, make it quick." She begged.

Elsa's mouth grew into a grim smile. "No, I want you to suffer." She said as she swung her pistol through the air and cracked the barrel over Amira's head. She fell to the ground unconscious. "I want you to see my father's face everywhere you look. I want your hands to be covered in the blood of the innocent. Every time you change, I want you see your dead screaming at you. You don't deserve a quick death monster; you deserve a long life. Drawn out and filled with the memories of everything you've ruined."

Turning her attention to the Creature, she aimed her other pistol at the monster's head before bringing the other one up to bear as well. Taking aim, she fired both guns at once. The bullets each grazed the monster's head. He smirked as she fired again. The bullets each tore through his left arm. Ignoring the trickle of blood, the Creature stepped closer. As he did, Elsa aimed lower and blew a twin set of holes through his chest. He grunted with pain, but she could tell the wounds would not be fatal. He idly rubbed at the bloody wounds as he looked down at her. "Are you finished?"

"No, no I am not!" Elsa shouted as she discarded the useless pistols and drew a short dagger from her skirt. With one lunge she buried the blade into the Creature's chest. The Creature looked down at the handle sticking out of his breast and gently pushed her aside.

"Why can't you die!" she screamed as the tears fell down onto the sand.

"Because my father made me too well. Your ancestor Victor created me remember? I was never born as a mortal, but pieced together bit by bit. Perhaps I cannot die. In which case, you might be needing this back." He said as he reached down and plucked the blade from his chest. Sighing, he continued. "I can not help the fact that your father is dead. It is never easy to see your creator die, but I will no longer be hounded by the memories of the past. Please, let us end this pointless fight."

Sobbing, Elsa fell to the ground. "Why? Why don't you just kill me and get it over with?"

The Creature shook his head as he dropped the blade. "Because I have no reason to. I told you, I am tired of this endless fight. I swear to you, I will go and trouble humanity no more. Just let me live out my unnatural existence in peace, and you will never have to see my wretched visage ever again."

Elsa looked up at the hideously scarred face looming over her. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she stood up. "Very well Creature. I swear, on my family's honor, that neither I nor anyone else in my family will disturb you."

The Creature nodded and returned to the still unconscious form of Amira. "And what of her? Will you kill her the moment I turn my back?"

Elsa looked away as he spoke. "I thought so," he chided. "This creature was not in control of herself. I don't expect any type of pity towards her, but I think sparing her would be a nice gesture." He spoke as he started to walk off into the desert waste. "However that is something you should really decide for yourself. Vengeance can drive a person to ruin. I know that better than anyone."

With that, the misshapen mesh of man wondered over the nearest dune and out of Elsa's sight. Elsa, her tears dried on her face, stood over Amira. She would be within her rights to kill her; and Amira might view that as a form of release. But would killing her be a punishment, or a reward?

Slipping off her blouse, she draped it over the woman's nude form. Picking up her knife, she edged the body with her foot. "Get up" she said as she tried to keep her emotions under control. Amira woke slowly.

"Oh God, you're really going to do it, aren't you?" Amira gasped as she saw the knife looming over her.

Elsa gripped the knife so tightly it shook in her fist. "She killed father, yet is she responsible?" thought Elsa as the seconds ticked away. Thinking back to her earlier tirade against killing her, Elsa lowered the blade. "No, I'm not. I meant what I said beast. I want you to have a long life, filled with memories. I won't let your suffering be over so quickly." Throwing the knife away, Elsa turned and started to make her way back to civilization, leaving a sobbing Amira back in the desert sands.

From the journal of John Seward, MD

_I can hardly believe it is all over. Amira and Elsa returned to us, although I admit I am at a loss. The Creature appeared before the Girl and myself this afternoon. I left them alone, but I admit my curiosity grew the better of me and I listened by the doorway. The Creature once again tried to coax her to leave with him, but judging from his response she refused. I left before anything else was said. The fact that the Girl would rather stay with us has gladdened my heart, although that hardly answers what we are to do with Amira._

_Amira has been despondent since the dreadful events of last night, and frankly I have run out of options. It would be inhuman to simply kill her while the chance for a cure might be found; but with a man dead the entire situation has become rather complicated._

_Elsa has made it clear that she will not tolerate her presence. She has already left for the continent and taken her father's body with her. We have all had to keep a close eye on Amira, as she is displaying signs of suicidal tendencies. _

_I have tried my best, but all this is beyond my expertise. I realize it was the beast within her that killed, but Amira cannot see that. She is convinced she might harm us. Frankly, that is a fear I too share. What would stop the wolf from going after the Girl? Or myself? I'm not sure if I could actually bring myself to harm her, but how can I allow her to suffer like this?_

_It is late, and I fear I have been idly musing when I should be working. We are preparing to return to England, and there is still much work to be done._

The next day

The loud roar of the steam engine did little to clear Dr. Muller's nerves as he sat by the docks and watched his colleague talking to the strange girls. The past few days had been most taxing on his health.

He stood silently by as Dr. Seward's equipment was loaded onto the ship. His two strange assistants gave him their thanks, although it was all he could do not to flinch in their presence. The gypsy girl Amira was the stranger of the two; Muller could not fathom why Dr. Seward tolerated her. The girl was sullen, and if her screams over the past few mornings were to be taken as proof, suffering from some form of dementia. The other girl, her ghastly face covered up by bandages, wrapped her arms around and quickly hugged him before racing after Amira. Gasping for air, he rubbed his side where the girl had squeezed as Dr. Seward approached him. "John, I must say I find your taste in research partners to be questionable."

Dr. Seward gave a sad smile as he watched the two young ladies make their way up the gangplank. "Muller old boy, there is quite a history between me and those girls."

"I'm sure, but you never bothered to inform me of it."

Dr. Seward sighed as the last boat whistle sounded. "And I wish I have the time to tell you old friend. Let us just say that there are more things in heaven and hell than are dreamt of in your philosophies." Grasping Muller's hand, he gave it a good shake. "The world won't forget what we've done here, even if we can never speak of it. Thank you for your help. I'll never forget it."

With that, Dr. Seward made his way onboard, leaving Dr. Muller by himself on the dock. Shaking his head, he made his way back to his car. "Strange, but I feel that I am better off not knowing." Looking out into the rising rays of the morning sun, Dr. Muller thought on John's words as he drove off, never fully comprehending the actions that occurred under his own roof.

The end

Based on the following films:

**The Mummy** (1932) dir. Karl Freund

**The Ghost of Frankenstein** (1942) dir. Erle C. Kenton

**Bride of Frankenstein** (1935) dir. James Whale

With characters from both _The Screaming Dead_ and **Dracula** (1931) dir. Tod Browning making special appearances.

This is intended as a sequel to my story The Screaming Dead. All rights reserved for all respected copyright holders, and no infringement is intended. Special thanks to Articzen for the new title.


	3. The Wild and the Dead

September 15, 1933

Dr. Sigmund Walters smiled as he saw the shroud covered form stretched out upon the operating table before him. His assistant, although he was loath to refer to the muscle bound oaf as being a needed aspect of his experiments, nodded curtly as he applied a gaze bandage to his forearm. "Problems Mr. Mason?"

Fred Mason, an uneducated man compared to the scientist before him, finished dressing his wound before speaking. "Nothing I couldn't handle Doc. Cheela here put a fight before I could dope her."

Dr. Walters was intrigued. "Really? And she was responding so well to your presence yesterday."

"Yeah, she was as friendly as a kitten before tonight. You think she's getting wise?"

Dr. Walters laughed as he washed his hands in a nearby sink. "Mr. Mason, such an action would imply thought. After tonight however, I'm sure Cheela will be able to rationally discuss the matter with us thoroughly."

Mason, evidenced from the scars that crisscrossed his arms showcasing a lifetime of adventure and misadventure, was no coward. At the doctor's words, however, he paled noticeably. "Yeah, about that Doc, look, you don't need me to be here right now, do you?"

Dr. Walters slipped on a pair of rubber surgical gloves. "Hmm, oh of course not. Forgive me, my mind tends to wonder when I'm working. Just have something to drink upstairs and I'll have your payment ready when I've finished."

Mason took the hint, and quickly left as Dr. Walters threw back the sheet and stared at the small gorilla strapped down to the table. Ignoring the sound of Mason's boots and the slamming door behind him, Dr. Walters uncovered his surgical tools and carefully placed a small box near the table. He talked aloud to himself as he picked up a scalpel and began to make an incision on the hairy body. "Soon, all my work shall bear fruit, if only the procedure takes…"

M

Mason sulked around in the doctor's study, despite his wishes to put as much distance between himself and the horrors below his feet as possible. Opening up a bottle of bourbon, he poured himself a glass to calm his nerves. He knew what the doctor had said, but he figured it would be worthwhile to hang around. He tried to rationalize his decision as he drank. "After all, if he croaks, who's going to pay me?" The doctor's orders were also quite clear. Recalling the words spoken to him, Mason slumped down on the closest chair. "Remember Mr. Mason, you are not to enter the lab while I am conducting an experiment, but you are also not permitted to leave unless I unlock the front door myself."

Mason cursed the doctor for the umpteenth time as he watched the minute hand of the grandfather clock travel around its pale face. He slowly nursed his drink as the ticking and the moving of the gears filled the room. What if something had gone wrong?

He sprang up from the chair and paced around the room like one of the doctor's test subjects. Mason knew he wasn't likely to be offered any more jobs working for the big time circuses, and the thought of going back to the days of bush fighting made his stomach clench. As the hour hand moved, he dropped the glass and contemplated grabbing the nearest available object and using it to smash open a window. The sound of something pounding against the lab door made him jump. "That door is almost a foot solid, what could have made that noise?"

Racing to his quarters, he unlocked his gun cabinet and pulled out the nearest rifle. Grabbing all the spare ammo he could and running back towards the lab, he stopped short as he saw the massive iron door shuddering in its frame. The metal began to buckle and rend.

Dropping to one knee, he readied his weapon as the door came crashing down. He tightened his grip as the reason for the disturbance shuffled into the light. "Cheela?" He barely had time to react as the monstrous thing thumped its chest and roared.

The creature may have been the female gorilla he had brought down there, but staring at it in the light cast some doubt on that theory. The creature was taller, and much slimmer, as well as lacking any hair along its extremities. Its strength, however, was still equal to the gorillas' as it cleared the steps in one leap and barreled past him before he could squeeze the trigger.

Knocked senseless, he was helpless as the creature mimicked his earlier thoughts and smashed its way to freedom via the use of a chair. As the hairy monstrosity dashed out through the broken window and bent bars, Mason heard the voice of Dr. Walters calling from the lab. "For Heaven's sake Mason, don't harm it!"

Picking up his rifle, he quickly ran down into the lab. He gasped as he saw the wreckage, and the prone form of Dr. Walters pinned under the table. "Get this off of me, we have to track it before the gland takes in effect."

"Hold on just a minute Doc, what on Earth was that thing?"

Dr. Walters grunted with effort as he tried to free himself. "That thing, as you so called it, was Cheela. We're wasting time here, we must-"

Mason slung his rifle over his back as he lifted the table up. He stared slack-jawed at the man as the scientist slowly climbed to his feet. "Wait, that was the gorilla I brought down here? Dr. Walters, what was going on down here?"

Walters snorted in contempt as he brushed himself clean. "It would take a scientist to understand."

"Try me, because unless I know what I'm going up against," he slung his rifle down and aimed it at the doctor, "You can consider this the end of our partnership."

Walters stared down the barrel but did not move. After a minute's pause he sighed and slowly raised his hands. "Very well, I'll be brief. That gorilla was meant to be the prototype for a new gland I've designed."

Mason's eyebrow jerked upwards, but other than that his face remained stoic. Walters continued to talk. "Yes, a new gland, for lack of a better word. What I've done tonight was supposed to be the next step." Gesturing to a tray, he stepped back to show three small bowls. Mason fought back a gag as he saw a bloody heart, parts of a brain, and some other unidentifiable organ floating in red liquid. Seeing the man's momentary distress, Walters pressed forward. "Mr. Mason, haven't you ever wondered just what I was doing with all those animals you acquired for me?"

"For what you were paying, not really."

Walters seemed to be amused at his response and continued. "I was improving on nature. Using my own means, and I hope you'll pardon if I don't explain every single detail, I created a blank gland. A blank card, if you will, that can be transplanted into a body and replace damaged tissue. Using only two thirds, I was able to replace both Cheela's heart and a significant portion of her brain."

"Wonderful, but how-"

"Did a simple gorilla change? That is still a mystery even to me. Using lower forms of life, such as the felines you brought me, I was able to change the gland into whatever organ I needed. Coupled with various radiation and chemical treatments, I could even alter the process further." Walters's eyes grew wide as he talked and his speech grew faster. "Don't you see? I had created the Philosopher's Stone, only instead of turning lead into gold, I could change one species into another!"

Mason stepped back from the agitated scientist. "Alright, I've seen some strange things doc, and I'll bite. So what were you trying to turn Cheela into?"

"A human being."

October 2, 1933

From the journals of John Seward, MD

_I fear updating this journal of mine is quickly becoming a chore. Amira, I fear, is losing the battle with herself. I have labored to bring her out of her shell, but whatever progress I make is utterly undone when the full moon shines. _

_The Girl, as she still refuses to answer to any given name, is at least making more progress. There was never any doubt about her intelligence, but her vocals skills were almost non-existent when we found her. She is presently able to communicate, although she is seems unable to use anything but the most simple of words._

October 15, 1933

_Our guests are presently sleeping, but I fear something is afoot. This morning Dr. Sigmund Walters and his assistant Fred Mason visited us. I must write this down, for if something were to happen to me there must be some form of record. I was only dimly aware of Dr. Walters's name and reputation. There was some form of scandal over in the Americas due to his research involving human glandular growth._

_His story, which I am in the process of double-checking, is that one of his patients, a woman named Paula Dupree, was undergoing a radical form of therapy when she escaped. He arrived here after a futile search of the surrounding area near his clinic. The man is brilliant, of that I have no doubt, but his story just rings false. I lack the evidence to have him arrested, so for now I simply must sit back and allow the man his freedom._

_As for his assistant, my opinion is slightly higher. Mr. Mason and Amira seem to be hitting it off rather well, much to my surprise. Mr. Mason, from what I have learned, is an American expatriate. The man has led a colorful life, although by his own admission he regrets much of his actions. Seeing the amount of scar tissue that covers his forearms and neck, I can see the man has escaped quite a few dangerous scraps, but his presence alarms me and casts more doubts on Walters story. Why would a scientist require a former solider and animal trainer? Mason seems far from ignorant, but the pair clearly has little in common. Is this Dupree woman truly that much of a threat?_

_I must retire for the evening. The first full moon of the month has already passed, but it will shine again within several weeks. _

The next morning, seated around a table in Dr. Seward's office, the two recent arrivals discussed the reason for their presence with the elderly doctor and his two aides. Mason mostly sat silent as Dr. Walters talked, although his eyes were largely fixed on the comely form of Amria. Mason had loved his fair share of women, but the dark hued lass sitting across from him made him forget all the others.

She was as equally silent as him, but there was something in her eyes that drew him in. She had the same look in her eyes that he seen before on the battlefield of men who had spent too much time in the trenches. He tried to pay attention to the main doctors speaking. He paid a little attention to the other girl. Judging from the sheer amount of scar tissue that covered her face and the ghastly pallor of her skin the girl had obviously seen much more action than he ever had.

"So Dr. Walters, can you tell my assistants more about your missing patient?"

Dr. Walters smiled warmly as he picked up a folder and handed it to Dr. Seward. "Of course. We have to make sure everyone's up to speed, correct?" Clearing his throat, he began to speak as Seward and the two women looked at the information Walters had fabricated before they had arrived. "The subject's name is Paula Dupree. She was a former circus performer who had been injured. She came to me for help in regaining her sense of balance. As you know Dr. Seward, my work is the human glandular system."

Amira interjected. "Then how could you have helped her?"

Walters was prepared for questions. "I admit I was perhaps overzealous. I did recommend that she see other specialists, but you see my work was the key to her problem." Standing up and moving over to a chalkboard over in the corner, the scientist began to draw out his theories as he spoke. "Glands are my specialty, and through my work with them I discovered a way to actually produce, with a specially created gland of my own invention, a way to make this gland do the work of other organs within the body. From there, I believe I can produce material that can take on the characteristics of whatever organ or tissue that I desire."

Seward raised his eyebrows. "Remarkable! But tell me, how"

Dr. Walters held dup his hand as he continued to diagram. "The formula I used, as well as the surgery itself, was a complete success, but there was one draw back that I failed to foresee. Ms. Dupree had developed both super human strength as well as amnesia. She escaped from my lab and fled. My associate, Mr. Mason, and I have been following her trail. She might try to flee the country. Dr. Seward, it is imperative that we find her. Without further treatment the gland may be rejected from the body."

Seward rose himself up. "I see your point Dr. Walters, and I do sympathize, but tell me, why come to us? This problem sounds more like a police procedure."

Walters grimaced at the doctor's words. "Ah, the police. No Dr. Seward, I fear that calling them would only endanger the life of my patient. This matter needs to be handled in a delicate fashion. Besides finding her, I may also need to make use of your medical facilities, so bringing her directly here would just save us all some time."

Dr. Seward was apparently won over as he walked over to the man and clasped his hand. "Very well then. We shall begin out search immediately."

"Excellent."

From the journals of John Seward, MD

_After agreeing to aid him, Dr. Walters and myself remained at the sanitarium, while our respective aides searched the surrounding countryside. I must confess, I am deeply interested in the man's work, but there is something about him that puzzles me. The whole story seems, for lack of a better word, contrived. Parts of it ring true, or at least true enough for me not to call the police, but the parts of his tale that stand out give me no confidence. He is hiding something from us, but what? How dangerous is this Dupree woman? I have not yet received any confirmation that denounces the man's words. The Girl can handle herself with no fear, but Amira is another story._

_I realize I should perhaps take more care writing this, in the off chance someone other than myself were to find it, but Amira has taken a turn for the worse. The full moon is set to rise within the next two days. If we were to take the usual course of action, Walters and Mason might investigate, or worse, summon the authorities. I realize the irony of these fears, but if Amira were to vanish for two nights, Walters might question it. _

_Perhaps I am too obsessed with the negative. If we are still searching when the moon rises, I can explain her absence as doing research or perhaps performing some other duty for me. As for the search itself, I fear it was fruitless tonight. We found a few tracks, but they looked more like the kind made by an animal_.

The search continued the next day. Starting at the very edge of the sanitarium grounds, the search teams spread out into the surrounding bush and neighboring towns. Fred wiped the sweat that been collecting on his brow as he walked down the dirt path. Amira followed close behind him, but for some reason she seemed more nervous than him. Dr. Walters hadn't painted him an exact picture, but he figured they were hunting some far stranger than what he was accustomed. He didn't know why exactly, but for some reason the two girls behind him made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. The other girl, the silent one, lagged behind as they walked; He wasn't exactly enthralled with either of them tagging along so he made little effort to talk to them. Turning to Amira, he held up a hand. "Hold on, all three of us walking around is pointless. We're making too much noise. Why don't we spilt up" he gestured towards a paved path, "and you two take that road and I'll take the one by the woods."

Amira spoke up. "But what if you encounter this madwoman first?"

Fred grinned as he patted the bulge in his jacket. "I've tracked far dangerous prey ma'am, but that does remind me." Reaching into his jacket, he pulled a small pistol out and thumbed off the safety before handing it to the nervous girl. "Safety's off, all you have to do is squeeze the trigger. Unless of course you want me around for company..."

He deliberately trailed off. He wasn't as stupid as he let other people think. He knew if all three of them encountered Dupree, questions would be raised. "Better her think me a creep and storm off than risk letting the cat out of the bag." To her credit, Amira stuck the pistol back in his hand and turned up her nose at him.

"Thank you for the offer Mr. Mason, but believe me, I can handle myself."

"Alright, if you say so." Mason holstered the gun as he walked away from the two women. "Just give a holler if you see anything strange."

"What a strange man," Amira thought as she and the Girl walked towards the outlaying buildings. "Of course, it's not like I have room to talk." The small series of buildings were mainly used for storage during the winter months. Finding an orderly or perhaps even a patient there would not be out of the ordinary. The bare footprints that dotted the grass under a broken window, however, were unexpected.

Silently gesturing to the Girl to go around the other side, Amira quietly crept towards the front of the building. Gentle sounds of sobbing came from behind the door as she slowly opened it. Stepping inside, the crying continued as she walked past the piled stretchers, bags of folded laundry, and bits of miscellaneous equipment. Rounding a corner, she drew back as she saw the source of the noise.

Before her, huddled in a corner, was the crouched form of Paula Dupree. The woman was naked and her face was to the wall. Seeing the bloody footprints and glass along the floor, Amira carefully stepped forward and spoke. "Ms. Dupree?"

The crying noise didn't stop as the huddled figure crunched up even more. Amira cautiously pressed forward and offered her hand. "Don't be afraid, I want to help you."

No sooner did she speak than Paula Dupree stepped into the light. Amira had to struggle not to gasp as she stared. From the neck down, it was easy to assume that Ms. Dupree was an average woman. The head, however, told another story, as Amira stared into a hideous rippling mockery of both human and animal. Large teeth protruded from a mouth that was both shrinking and swelling in time to a monstrous heartbeat. Patches of fur rippled from a sloped brow, as the woman's eyes grew wider and darker.

"What on Earth!" Amira managed to stammer as Paula lashed out and struck her. Before Amira's eyes, the woman's fists seemed to swell up like balloons right before they crashed into her jaw. The impact sent her sprawling as the nude yet hairy figure ran past her. Dazed, Amira fought to regain her footing as she heard the Girl's strangled cries and more sounds of violence.

Staggering to her feet, Amira leaned against the wall for support as she lurched down the hallway and towards the sounds. As she rounded the corner, she stopped as she saw the still bloody and nude of Paula draped across the shoulders of the Girl. The scarred patchwork girl looked at Amira and dropped the unconscious figure from her shoulders. Amira smiled and gently patted the Girl's arm. "Good job, but let's not alert Mr. Mason about this just yet, alright? I think there were some details that were kept from us."

Hurrying back to the sanitarium via an often-ignored path, the two women silently debated about the ramifications of what they had just witnessed. Amira glanced at the barely moving figure in the Girl's arms. Was this woman cursed like her?

From the journal of John Seward, MD

_I suspected something was amiss with our guest's story, but I never would have guessed the exact nature of their deception. 'Paula', if that is fact her real name, has proven to be a most bizarre case, acting more animal than human. Her transformations from human to primate seem to be almost random. Unlike Amira, there is no trigger, no catalyst for the change. She does seem to change more when the girls are present, however. _

_Perhaps some form of territorial behavior? I must cable some experts._

_So far, both Mr. Mason and Dr. Walters are utterly unaware of out guest, and Heaven willing they remain that way. Dr. Walters grows more unnerved by the day, yet he still refuses to increase our search teams or alert the authorities. Mr. Mason, on the other hand, seems almost relieved that we have not reported any success. I've overheard the two bickering more and more lately; perhaps the young Mr. Mason can be of use to us. _

_Back to Paula though- So far, my every attempt to examine her has proven utterly futile. From what little I've witnessed, she appears to be both a healthy woman (and gorilla), but her strength is what is so puzzling. Granted, I've never fully tested the might of an adult sized female gorilla (and hope the opportunity never presents itself), but her strength is staggering. We have given her enough gas and sedatives to kill a full-grown man, yet for all of our work she simply staggers around the cell. She speaks no language, at least none that I am familiar with. A chilling thought went through my mind as I witnessed that unearthly transformation once again._

_What if she isn't a human that transforms into a gorilla, but a gorilla that transforms into a human?_

_I fear Walters may discover her, and the actions I shall have to take. One quick phone call to the police would solve most of my problems I admit, but then there is the question of Paula. Would she be put down?_

_Amira seems to be the one who agitates her the most. Her presence only can trigger a change. This is not shocking, as Amira has managed to scare away the various stray dogs that once wondered onto the grounds by simply looking at them, but I can tell the girl feels a sort of kinship with the poor thing. _

_The full moon draws closer, and I shudder at the thought of having both an ape and wolf locked under ground. Walters has, so far, stayed away from snooping around the basements, but I fear his curiosity might lead to our collective undoing. _

The next day, Amira sat by herself in a small glen near the sanitarium. As was her want when the full moon neared, she sat in silence as she stared at the trees and the quiet woods around her. Normally the tranquil nature brought her some measure of peace, but a snapped twig and the sound of rustling grass ended her solitude.

Standing before her was none other than Fred and Dr. Walters, but her eyes darted to the pistol in Fred's hands and the bottle in the doctors'. She was on her feet and stepping back as they started to approach her. "What do you want?"

It was Walters who spoke first. "You my dear. Fear not, if you offer no resistance you will not be harmed. I am afraid that as much as pawns must be expected to be sacrificed in chess so must you."

Amira did not take the news as well as the two men could have hoped. "No, stay back!" Breaking into a run, she was swiftly brought down via a well-thrown wooden dart. Fred gingerly picked up both the weapon and the woman and handed the largest of the pair to Walters.

The scientist smiled grimly as he slung the dazed female over his shoulder. "Now, you remember your part of the plan?"

Mason nodded as he checked the weapons he had hidden on himself. "Yeah, yeah, but tell me this doc, what if they don't feel like giving our little toy back?"

Walters sighed with resignation as he started to walk back into the woods with their captive prize. "You're the one with the hidden arsenal my lad, I'm sure you can improvise something."

M

Fred Mason was no stranger to getting himself into dangerous situations by now, and usually on the behalf of other people, so he had made a habit of packing a few extra items for 'insurance'. Once he had strolled into the office of Dr. Seward and told them Dr. Walters simple plan for exchange, he had expected some violence. He had even talked with his hand tight around his pistol, but in one instant all of his plans vanished in a haze when the silent girl snatched his hand out of his pocket and snapped the barrel off with her free hand. With both hands she easily picked him up and shook him like a doll before heaving him into the nearest wall. Dr. Seward loomed over him, and the look on the old man's face told him that further efforts on his part would only result in more of the same. "Mr. Mason, you have no idea what kind of havoc you taken to your breast."

Bringing himself up to a sitting position, Fred slowly lifted his hands up in a gesture of surrender. He tried to reason with the pair. "Ok Doc, I give up. Look, just give us the test subject back, you get the girl, and we can walk away from this from this whole thing with no problem. Heck, I saw your girls bringing her back here myself, so I know you know what I'm talking about."

Dr. Seward shook his head. "The sun is beginning to set Mr. Mason. The moon would be upon us before we could get outside."

Fred raised his eyebrow. "Come again? What the Sam Hill does the moon have to do with anything?"

Both the Girl and Dr. Seward glared at him. "Mr. Mason, I suggest that you contemplate the phrase 'silent as the grave' as you wait here. We will bring your victim out, but unless you want your final moments on this Earth to end with you seeing what color your entrails are, I suggest you stay in this office and do not leave until daybreak."

Mason stood up and glared back. "That a threat doc? Look, we have something you want, and you have something we want. Just hand it over and we can all go about our separate ways. Unless Doc Walters was right, and you're trying to cut into our action."

Dr. Seward rose to his full height as he stared down the American. Fred suddenly felt like he was back in school and being put on the spot by one of the teachers. "Mr. Mason, what you and your associate have done to that poor creature is beyond the pale, but by taking Amira you have put everyone here in jeopardy." Nodding to the Girl, he grabbed his coat as started to walk out. Before Fred could offer a protest, the Girl's fist swung out and collided soundly with his face. The larger man stood dazed on his feet for almost a full second before falling backwards. Looking back at the Girl, Dr. Seward nodded curtly. "Excellent shot my dear, although I almost wish you hadn't held back. Let's lock the door. I'll give orders to the staff to stay inside while you hurry to the meeting place. We can only pray Walters was smart enough to keep her secured."

A

Amria woke with her heart pounded against her chest. Finding her wrists and ankles bound to a bed, as well as a large wad of cotton stuck in her mouth, She gazed futilely around the small room as she saw the tell-tell signs of the daylight sinking fast. Sounds of men and glasses clinking filtered in through the floor gave her a little to go on as to where she had been taken. A trapdoor opened in the floor in front of her. The grinning visage of Dr. Walters greeted her as he stepped up into the room. His grin wavered as looked into her eyes. "Strange, I thought the poison Mason's dart gave you would keep you asleep for at least the rest of the night."

Amira shouted at the man, but the gag muffled her cries. Dr. Walters wagged his finger as he held up a hypodermic. "Now, now. If your friends cooperate, I'll have my subject back and you can walk out of here. If you try anything, however, I'll pump enough sedative into your veins to render a elephant unconscious." Amira's eyes filled up with tears as she saw the approaching darkness in the sky.

Dr. Walters, utterly oblivious to his captive's distress, pocketed the needle and opened the trap door. "Now, I'm going to wait on your friends. Escape is impossible, as I have several men watching both the door and the outside." Ignoring the trashing and muffled screams, he opened the trap door and left.

Amira's face was drenched with a cold sweat as she saw the moonlight streaming in through the window. Her muscles began to swell as her trashing became more frantic. Her bonds easily snapped under the pressure, and she rolled herself free of the bed. Tearing her gag free, she leaned against the wall for support. "I can't escape, and there's no way I can contain the beast in this room!" She panicked. Pushing the bed over the trap door, she smiled before shooting pain brought her to her knees. "With the door covered, that should keep the men out, and maybe the wolf won't bother looking for a door."

The thoughts gave her little comfort as her nails spilt open and long black claws broke through. Her hands and feet began to stretch and shift as thick pads started to form. Dropping to all fours, she bit her lip to keep from crying out as her haunches swelled and a bristling fur began to spread over her body. Her skirt tried and failed to contain the new mass that was forming under it, and burst like confetti. The tattered garment hung in strips as her legs buckled and reshaped as bones and muscles swelled and reformed.

Her blouse faired no better as it too failed to contain the new developments that were happening inside it. Her firm and fur topped breasts exploded through the thin material with no resistance as the back of her blouse was sundered just as easily. Blood and spit pooled on the floorboards as her teeth burst into long and jagged points. "God, forgive me for my actions tonight" were her last thoughts as her skull buckled and reshaped itself. Her face twisted and elongated as her jaw shattered and reshaped into a muzzle.

What was now hunched up on the dirty floorboards could no longer be considered a human being. The Wolf snarled as it took in its new surroundings. Seeing the familiar moonlight through the tiny window, it gave the familiar and appropriate greeting. Throwing back its long shaggy head, the Wolf howled to the mother moon.

While downstairs in the pub, all of the noise and commotion that had transpired upstairs had not gone unnoticed. The music, the dancing, and even the drinking had all come to a grinding halt. Joe Whale, a silver-haired man who never met a drunk he couldn't throw out, nervously gulped and fingered a tarnished cross he wore around his neck. Reaching under the bar, he pulled out a cracked cricket bat and slowly made his way up the stairs. A few of the patrons nervously followed suit, but he was aware that none of them got too close.

As his hand reached out for the trap door, a deafening crash and the sound of broken glass made everyone still in the bar stop. Screwing up his courage, he flung open the trapdoor, only to find a shredded pile of wood and cloth surrounding the door, and a soft breeze coming from the massive hole from where there used to be a window. Crossing himself, he silently swore never to rent anything to anyone with the title "doctor" in his or her name again.

P

Dr. Seward and the Girl hurried down into the bowels on the sanitarium as the frenzied noises increased. Taking a syringe out of his medical bag, Dr. Seward gestured to the Girl before handing it to her. The steel door in front of them buckled under the assault, as the frenzied screams grew louder and less human with each blow.

"Hurry!" He whispered as the door wretched in its frame as a hairy paw groped blindly. The Girl latched onto the limb as she tried to stab it with the needle, but the appearance of the second paw changed the pan. Letting go, the Girl jumped back as the two giant hands gripped the door and tore it free from its hinges. Knocking the iron barrier down, Dr. Seward and the Girl frantically scrambled down opposite ends of the hallway as the now abnormally large gorilla lumbered out into the hallway. Flattening the door under its mighty heels, the beast roared in defiance as it smashed the wall before it down and leapt out into the night.

Dusting himself off, Dr. Seward could only take in the damage in mute disbelief. It was only the Girl's urgent tugging at his arm that brought him back to reality. He tried to think of a plan as she silently lead him back upstairs. The faces of the staff greeted him as he stepped out into the main hallway. He nodded dumbly as his chief orderly rushed up to him. "Dr. Seward, what was that unholy racket?"

Turning to the man, Dr. Seward almost had to force himself to speak as the Girl urgently tugged on his arm. "Mr. Martin, one of the patients has escaped, and I fear the lower levels are in need of some repair. Move the patients to dryer quarters tonight and see about getting someone from the village up here tomorrow."

Martin removed his cap and looked quizzically at his employer. "Uh, sir, begging your pardon, but if a patient has escaped, shouldn't we notify the police first? It could be dangerous."

Much to his (and everyone else's) shock, Dr. Seward laughed. The laughter, however, never reached his eyes. "Dangerous? Martin, you don't understand what that word means! None of you do!" He swayed on his feet as the Girl helped him outside. He barked to the nearest nurse as he walked out. "Just follow my orders. If I have not returned by daybreak, send for the police." As another orderly turned up, he found himself looking at yet another unwanted surprise. Fred Mason, gingerly rubbing his jaw, greeted the pair:

"Hi doc."

Turning to his staff, Dr. Seward glowered at them all. "What is this man doing here?"

A young nurse stepped forward. "Well sir, he was in your office, and he said he needed to speak with you, but the door was locked…"

Seward cut her off. "Never mind. Mr. Mason, since you are partially responsible for this, you are going to accommodate myself and my assistant."

Without waiting for the man's reply, he turned and made his way outside. He was unaware of the stares and silence that filled the room as he staggered out into the night. He really didn't care at the moment. His thoughts were filled with monkeys and monsters.

W

The Wolf howled as she ran along on all fours. Feeling the soft grass and dirt beneath her paws, had the Wolf the capability she might have been smiling. Fresh smells and sounds delighted her senses as she raced further and further into the woods. She stopped short as two new scents stood out from all the others. The first was a strange one that she had never encountered before. Due to the shaking into the ground and the smell increasing she knew whatever it was would be upon her soon. The second was different from the first but familiar. This one sent her mouth drooling as she recognized what the new scent was and what it meant:

It was the scent of a human, and a very close human at that.

Howling again before the moon, she turned and bounded after her new prey. Hunger and hate coursed through her being as she dashed past trees and ignored the other animals in her path. She craved meat, and fresh meat too.

W

Dr. Walters nervously lit another cigarette as he paced back and forth. He could see the distant outline of the sanitarium before him. Stepping back to the truck he rented, he idly thought about simply leaving Fred and heading back to Continent. "That witless fool has undoubtedly failed, and that buffoon Seward may have altered the authorities. I'll have to flee the country tonight."

Checking his watch, he gave a disgruntled sigh as he opened the door to the cab of the truck and hoped inside. As he slipped the key into the ignition, he heard two very distinct noises. The first, from the sanitarium, was the loud and familiar roar of an angered gorilla. The second was closer, and sounded more like a stray dog. For some reason, the howling made him more fearful than the roaring.

Revving the engine, Dr. Walters turned on the headlights as he nervously scanned the darkened road and forest before him. A rustle of tree branches made him jump in his seat and drop his cigarette. Fumbling for the burning brand, his efforts stopped when he felt the truck shake.

Ignoring the burning tobacco, he reached into his coat and pulled out a pistol. Thumbing the safety off, he remained as motionless as he could muster. Hearing something moving around on the top of the truck, he suddenly gripped the gearshift. Gunning the engine, he quickly shifted from park to drive and took off down the road. He heard an agonized howl as whatever was on the roof tumbled off. He briefly saw a dark form hit the road vanish off in the distance as he slammed his foot down on the gas pedal.

His joy turned out to be short-lived as a crashing tree forced him to slam on the brake. The truck skidded to a halt. Walters's suit was quickly damping with sweat as he slipped the gear back into park and kicked the still smoldering cigarette out. He exited the vehicle with the gun firmly clenched in his hand. His heart was thumping in his chest as examined the fallen tree. As he stepped closer, the Earth shook under his feet as another tree came crashing down.

The dust settled as he stood in stark terror as a ghastly figure stepped out from the forest and into the light. A giant ape, its fur bristling and shedding, staggered into the road and roared. Its inhuman features shifted and warped before him. He struggled not to scream as he saw its beastly face distort and reshape into a familiar human visage before regaining its animal contours.

The beast stared down at him and roared. His hands shaking, he managed to squeeze off one shot at the now monstrous gorilla. The bullet screeched by the monster with even coming close to harming it, but the noise was enough to further enrage it.

He stared backing up as the monster loomed over him. He pleaded desperately. "No, no! Stay back!" The monster that was once both gorilla and human snarled; and reaching out with its massive paws it ensnared the panicking scientist. He fired another shot, but once again he missed.

The beast shook him like a rag doll. His pistol flew out of his sweaty grip as he lifted high over the creature's head. Dazed, he screamed as the monster tightened her grip around him. The paw/hand began to expand, which allowed him enough room to wiggle free. Dropping down, he ducked the giant beast's hands as he dashed off into the woods. A deafening crunching noise behind made him move all the faster.

S

Dr. Steward swore softly to himself as the car rounded a curve. His actions tonight would have consequences, but he could not waste time thinking about the possible ramifications. He glanced over at the Girl. She was silent, as always, but her attention was focused on the trees around them.

Beneath his seat was a loaded pistol. He often prayed that he would never have to make use of it, for its bullets were special. It had risen a few eyebrows when he had custom-ordered silver bullets, but he was now thankful for them. The backseat of the car was loaded down with tranquilizer darts and a special rifle. He briefly thought about his actions; that is going off in the middle of the night with a patchwork woman and a gun loaded with silver bullets, to either kill or capture a werewolf and a now giant gorilla that occasionally transformed into a human.

To his credit, Mason didn't say much. The man held the empty rifle in his hands and gave an approving nod. The Girl had made sure his own weapons were all moved to the front seat, and he wasn't about to go up against her again.

A sudden screeching of the brakes made him forget his reminiscing as the car lurched to a halt. "Get out, and for God's sake be careful." The gruff voice of Dr. Seward wasn't directed at him, but for some reason he couldn't see the Girl has needing any help.

His mouth hung open as he saw the reason for their stopping. A truck, one he saw Dr. Walters having rented, was stopped still before a fallen tree. The truck itself was crushed flat, like someone stepped on a toy. "Holy" he tried to say as he carefully stepped towards it, "Doc, what could have done this?"

Seward shot him a withering glance. "You should recognize it. It's your employer's handiwork."

Mason straightened up at once. "I shouldn't believe it, but at this point what's the use?" Tightening his grip on the rifle, he stared back at the pair of skeptical eyes. "Look, I didn't know what that cut rate Frankenstein was up to, but you need my help, right?" He saw the Girl visibly flinch at his words, but the older man's expression softened.

"I suppose we do at that, but tell me sir, just kind of animals have you brought down?"

Fred smiled, eager to prove to his prowess to anyone. "Anything that has walked, crawled, or slithered. I've hunted Great Whites off the coast of Australia, tracked black mambas in Africa-", but the older man's gestures cut him off.

"Yes, yes, you know how to shoot and all that bloody nonsense. Mr. Mason, I fear what we are after is capable of doing this," he gestured to the ruined remains of the truck before them, "as well as something else."

Fred didn't blink. "So? Five feet or fifty, it can still be taken down. If you want it unharmed, that's fine too."

The Girl began to tug frantically on Dr. Seward's arm when a blood curdling howl broke through the woods. "Mr. Mason, against my better judgment, I agree that you are perhaps more suited to hunting. I propose that you go and the Girl track down the escaped Ms. Dupree."

Fred was taken aback, but he knew when not to ask. There was still something about the doctor's demeanor that unnerved him. "Fair enough, but what about you?"

The older man gave him an answer. "I'll be waiting, but please hurry. We've wasted enough time as it is."

Waiting until the two of them were both safely out of sight, he went back to the car and pulled out the pistol from under his seat. "God forgive me for what I must do." He silently prayed not only for his own soul, but also for the creature that was once human.

M

Fred tightened his grip on the rifle once again as he marched through the woods. The creature that was formerly Cheela was making his job of tracking easy as he followed the bent and broken trees. The Girl, silent as always, followed behind him. He was curious about her, but he figured some questions were best left unasked for the moment.

A soft moaning made him stop. Throwing himself against the nearest tree for cover, he raised his rifle to his shoulder. The Girl followed suit, ducking behind a tree opposite from him. A figure stumbled down the path. A cry of "Help me" made Fred lower his weapon.

"Dr. Walters?"

Staggering down the path, the figure stepped into the moonlight. The bloodied scientist cried with relief when he saw the two familiar faces before him. "Oh thank Heaven!" He fell to his knees as Fred rushed to him. Even with the pale moonlight, Fred could tell the man was hurt. His right arm was bent in an unnatural angle, and his back was black and ragged.

"Take it easy doc, we're going to get you back to the hospital, ok?" Fred tried to calm the nearly hysterical man down as Walters gripped his wrist with his one working hand.

"Hurry man, hurry! That foul beast let me on purpose, she's getting smarter and smarter I tell you! Smarter than me!" The man's cries broke down into sobs as he was helped back to his feet. The Girl, silent as always, shot him an exasperated look as he leaned against her for support.

"Ok," Fred scanned the surrounding area. "New plan. First, I need you to take him back to the car. I'll be right behind you." The panicked look in the Girl's eyes made him pause as he suddenly whirled around, his weapon at the ready. He whispered as he moved alongside her. "What was it?"

Almost in answer, an inhuman shriek from behind them made him spin around once again. The naked and savage form of Paula Dupree bounded out of the tree and landed directly on top of all three of them. Fred tried to aim the rifle, but a wild kick to the head made him see stars. Stumbling away from the melee, he took aim once again. Before he could pull the trigger, however, the rapidly growing nude woman backhanded the Girl away from Walters.

"That's it," Fred mumbled under his breath as he pulled the trigger. The rifle kicked once in his hands as the tranquilizer dart cut through the air and embedded itself into the flesh, albeit now hairy, backside of Paula. "You're mine now!"

Paul, however, did not agree with his statement, as her growth increased. Now towering over the trio, she reached out and plucked the rifle from his hands as easily as he would have picked up a fallen branch. With one swing, she brought the rifle down upon him like club, knocking him to the ground. Standing over his prone body, she beat on her chest with both fists, much to the discomfort of Dr. Walters, and let out the bestial war cry of a gorilla. The now animal-like Paula jumped over him in one broad leap with both the rifle and the shrieking form of Dr. Walters still in her ever-growing hands and bounded away into the night.

The Girl, after picking herself up, rushed to Fred's side, as he lay unmoving on the forest floor. He waved away her assistance as he slowly sat up under his own power. Staring in the direction the now enormous gorilla was going, he screwed up enough will power to speak before slumping back down. "On any other day I might have found that experience unusual."

S

Dr. Seward, not for the first time, questioned his course of action. Tramping through the brush may have been a perfectly fine thing fifty years ago, but he was an old man. Looking down at the loaded gun in his hand raised even more questions. Could he really kill Amira?

He thought back to that cold September night all those many years ago. "I had so many friends back then." Suddenly wishing for a drink, the elderly man stooped and leaned against a nearby tree. He wiped his clammy brow with one hand as the sound of something approaching dashed all other thoughts and feelings aside.

A low growl greeted him as stepped back onto the path. "Hello Amira"

The Wolf drew back its lips in a snarl as it reared back on its hind legs. Towering above him, the wolf let loose with an almost deafening howl as he stood his ground. He was unmoved as he took aim. For a brief second, images of a serious girl absorbed in reading a book flashed before him. The Wolf walked upright for a few steps before dropping back to all fours.

Still advancing upon him, Seward suddenly found his hand shaking. He recalled the horror on Amira's face when she had killed. He knew she wasn't responsible for her actions, but he also knew she couldn't live with herself if she harmed another person. He drew back on the hammer and forced his hand steady. Saying a silent prayer for all involved, his finger tightened on the trigger.

The wolf, for whatever reason, stopped in its tracks. Seward could not see any humanity in the dark eyes staring back at him. He fired once.

He simultaneously felt relief and horror as the bullet missed. The Wolf howled in pain as it reared back. Taking aim again, he felt the bile rising in his stomach as the creature before him glowered with rage.

Before he could take another shot, the forest was filled with sounds of another beast. A great sense shattering cry filled the night air, making both predator and pray stop. Taking his eyes off the wolf for one second, Seward scanned the trees in search of the other animal. His attention was quickly brought back to the wolf when he heard the sound of a branch snapping.

The wolf was gone. Perhaps it sensed another hunter. Seward breathed slowly as he looked around. He tried to rationalize what had happened. "Maybe there was something human still left."

M

Wishing for some rather large quantities of alcohol, Fred limped painfully back to the car with the aid of the Girl. They arrived back at the vehicle seconds before the rather pale form of Dr. Seward joined them. "Hey doc, how'd you do?"

Seward ignored him as he as opened the door and slid inside. The Girl silently as always helped Fred into the back before joining the equally silent doctor in the front. Without a word, the elderly doctor revved the engine and shifted gears. The car zoomed past the destroyed truck and down a small path. Fred guessed, due to the amount of shaking he was feeling, that the path they were on was not intended for cars, or any type of vehicle for that matter. The dark shapes of the trees whipping past did little to reassure him.

The car sped on, taking various turns and going over ditches and bumps with ever increasing speed. The ride came to a sudden stop as they left the forest and found themselves overlooking the ocean. The car skidded to a halt in the mud as Fred leaned out of the window and saw just how close they were to the edge of the cliff.

Ignoring what the doctor was saying, he opened the door and got out. As he gazed down the bluff he spied a disturbingly familiar outline off in the distance. He felt his throat tighten as the figure lumbered closer, the very Earth under his feet shaking with each step. His voice refused to respond as the shaking grew worse. Slapping the roof, he tried to shout as the now monstrous figure of Paula stepped over the nearby hill and loomed over them.

The headlights flared to life as Seward tried to back up, but the mud and wet dirt around them prevented any such movement. The gigantic ape-like form of Paul towered over them. Dr. Walters was held like a toy in a child's hand. He screamed madly as Paula beat her chest.

Fred forced his eyes away and stared at the two people in the front seat. "Doc, I think we need to move." He reached into the back and grabbed the rifle and a handful of darts as Paula reared back and bellowed in rage. Rearing back, she brought her mighty arm forward and threw Dr. Walters at the windshield in a manner that might have made any major league pitcher break down and weep. Dr. Seward, to his credit, chose that exact moment to leap clear of the car, with the Girl and Fred following his example.

Dr. Walters, unfortunately, was not spared any good luck as he was hurtled towards the car. His last words were a mingled scream as he struck the glass like a meat- filled projectile. Dr. Seward, the Girl, and Fred looked on in mute horror as their gaze traveled between the now humongous gorilla and the twisted pair of legs poking out through the windshield.

Fred fumbled with the rifle before looking back up at the roaring beast. "Oh, the blazes with this!" He cursed as he dropped the weapon and made a mad dash for the woods.

He wasn't aware of just how far behind the doctor was, but any thoughts regarding anything of value was pushed aside when a snarling wolf leapt in front of him. Fred Mason, former gun for hire, hunter, killer of most things that walked, crawled, or slithered, did the only thing he could think to do. He fainted.

W

The Wolf stared at the strange beast before it. The animal's unusual scent filled its nostrils as it gave a challenging howl. The gorilla responded in kind as it picked up a car and threw it. The Wolf snarled in response and ducked as the motor vehicle sailed through the air and crashed into the trees. Falling to all fours, the Wolf dashed forward, all thoughts upon the mighty creature before it…

S

Dr. Seward fell to the ground as the Girl pushed him. He heard the sound of Amira running past him. The Girl dragged him to his feet as he tried to catch his breath. "Wait!" he begged as he saw Amira howl and charge the maddened monkey. Gesturing to an outline near the trees, the pair quickly made their way over to the fallen form of Fred Mason. The Girl easily picked him up and dragged him clear.

The Girl looked questioningly at the doctor as he stared helplessly at the massive fight that was taking place before them. "We can't help either of them. The best thing to do is run and hide." He tried to rationalize it as he helped carry Fred out of the way.

W

The Wolf snarled in rage as it pounced onto the gorilla's forearm. Biting and clawing, it was rewarded with a hot spray of blood as the gorilla screamed in beastly agony. Desperately trying to free itself from the biting beast, the gorilla gripped the Wolf with its free hand and pulled. The Wolf was pried off like a blood-engorged tick.

The strange change that had so marked the gorilla's life started again as it slowly shrank down. Its fingers tightened around the Wolf, but within seconds it found the beast was simply too large to crush with only one uninjured arm. Flinging the snarling beast away, the gorilla roared once again before blindly charging forward.

The Wolf hit the ground and rolled back to its paws in an instant. Opening its blood-flecked mouth, it too gave a response to the gorilla's challenge. Darting forward, it raced towards the monster's outstretched legs and easily ran between them. The gorilla was off balanced by this and stumbled around trying to keep its foe within sight.

The Wolf, on the other hand, had no difficulty in keeping its target within range. Before the still massive gorilla could turn all the way around, the Wolf leapt again, this time latching onto the monster's thigh. With claws and fangs it savagely tore and bit through fur, muscle, and sinew. The gorilla gave an almost human like scream as it tried to remain upright under the assault.

S

Dr. Seward leaned against a tree for support as he witnessed the battle before him. Feeling the gun in his pocket, he tried to screw up the courage needed as the Girl attempted to revive Fred. Calmly walking over to her, he gently tapped her shoulder. "Take him back to the road and try to get help. I'll stay here."

The Girl looked up at him questioningly, but she still followed his orders all the same. With a single grunt of effort, she picked Fred up and made her way back through the woods. Once she was out of sight, Dr. Seward reached into his pocket and pulled out the gun. Finding his throat suddenly quite dry, he stepped out into the light as he saw that the battle had taken a grim turn.

W

The Wolf howled again in triumph as it racked its claws against the soft furry belly of the gorilla. With each injury, the monster grew smaller and less furrier. By now, the creature was barely able to stand as it feebly and futilely fended off another charge. The gorilla, although now resembling a taller yet bloodier Paula, managed to wrap its still larger paws around the Wolf's throat.

S

Dr. Seward took careful aim with the gun. He gently pulled back on the hammer as the now vague human form that was wrestling with the Wolf slowly stumbled back to the edge of the cliff. Taking aim, his hand did not shake as he gently squeezed the trigger. Everything went silent as he saw the Wolf jerk once as it trashed about with Paula's hands around its throat. His eyes watered up as the animal let out a mournful howl before pushing forward against the now utterly human form of Paula. He thought he saw the Wolf turn to look directly at him, but that could have been a trick of the moonlight.

With its last ounce of strength it pushed, sending them both tumbling over the edge. He rushed forward just in time to see both figures hit the dark water below. He felt the gun slip from his suddenly clammy hand. His knees felt watery. Ignoring the tears that started flowing, he turned around and started to walk back to the sanitarium. He ignored the smoking pistol, the wrecked car, and even the poor ruined remains of Dr. Walters. "I've lost too many friends."

His thoughts were melancholy as he walked back towards the main road. He did not know what to say to the Girl, or even Fred. He had no idea how to explain the madness of this night, or even how to try.

S

The next day, things were muted. Workmen had begun work repairing the damage caused by the breakout. The reaction at Amira and Paula's fate, however, would not be patched up so easily. Fred seemed to have blocked out most of what had occurred, and thus was only disappointed at the news of Dr. Walters' death. The Girl, by comparison, had coolly stared at him throughout the morning.

It came to no surprise when Dr. Seward went into his office the next day and found a neatly typed letter folding up on his desk. Sitting down and putting his reading glasses on, he knew in his heart what would be on the page before he even unfolded it.

It began:

"Dr. Seward. I know I should not be cross with you after your actions regarding Amira. She often spoke to me about the course of action that should be undertaken if she ever escaped into the wild. I do not blame you for doing that, but I fear that I am unable to forgive. Mr. Mason has offered to take me with him on his next trip to Africa, and I have accepted. I feel that the Creature, as he has been called, may still be there. Amira was the closet thing I had to a friend, and with her gone the Creature is the only one like myself on the planet.

Please do not think ill of me doctor. You took me in when no one else would, but I fear the time has come for me to leave. I shall keep you in my thoughts."

The letter was unsigned. Looking around at the empty office, he briefly heard the soft patter of tears hitting the paper before he opened a drawer on his desk and hid the letter. He straightened himself up as he wiped his eyes with a handkerchief. Turning aside to his dictation machine, he flipped it on and began to speak into the microphone. "I can't rest yet."

Looking at the pile of paperwork scattered about before him, he ignored it as he sat down and opened a secret compartment under his desk. "Walters was a mad genius, and I doubt he was the last to tamper with nature. There must be someone willing to stand and fight those that would prey upon mankind." He grimaced as he pulled out a small sealed box.

"England, and indeed the world, must prevail against these new menaces. With both the Girl and Amira gone, I am the only one left." He gave a grim little laugh. "As always, I survive. There are still dark forces that lurk within the world, and they must be stopped. I have no idea how I can go about gathering new allies, but I have an excellent idea on where to start."

With some effort he opened the box. Inside it was a small bundle of papers, a curved knife, and what appeared to be a fossil of some sort. Picking up the microphone, he continued as the morning sunlight streaked across the carpet. "I can only hope my efforts are not wasted. If I should fall in the line of duty, I want whoever finds this to know, there are more people out there. Do not think you are alone."

With that, the old man turned the machine off, removed the cylinder and gently placed it within the box and resealed it. One moment later, and to a casual observer the scene within the office was nothing more than a typical administrator going about his day.

The end

Based on the following films:

**Captive Wild Woman** (1943) dir. Edward Dmytryk, Universal studios

This is intended as a sequel to my story _The Screaming Dead_. All rights reserved for all respected copyright holders. No infringement or profit is intended.


	4. The Castle of Blood

October 2, 1934

Dr. Seward coughed as he gazed about his desk. At nearly two thirds of a century old, he had refused all suggestions to retire from the day-to-day activities of running the asylum. "There'll be plenty of time to think about retirement after I'm gone." He would make that joke every time a well-meaning staff doctor would bring it up, until no one did anymore. He was, as per his custom, the last one still working as the clock chimed midnight.

Leaning back in his chair as the last chime rung, he winced at the pain his movement caused. Reaching for a silver pillbox, the slight rustle of paper caught his attention. "Who's there?"

Reaching under his desk, he quickly drew a pistol, only to find his movements arrested as a knife was pressed against his throat. "The Countess would appreciate your undivided attention." The man's voice was thickly accented. From what little he could see, the man's hand was large and calloused, and his sleeve was an old army coat.

She entered from the open bay windows that lead out to the balcony. John held his breath at the sight. She was tall, with a wide forehead and ebony hair. Her lashes were long and thick, while her mouth was thin and cruel. "Countess Marya Zaleska," She bowed, "But I see you fail to stand in the presence of your betters, Dr. Seward."

"And that is where you have the advantage Countess, for I have not have the pleasure of your company before." He careful covered an old newspaper up with more papers as the Countess approached him.

The Countess smiled. Her teeth were long and animal-like as the moonlight danced off of them. "Ah, true, but you have had the honor of meeting my noble sire."

His reaction gave him away. "Good Heavens!"

"Yes Doctor, and tonight I aim to settle a war that you and your merry band have been waging against my kind for far too long!" Nodding to the man behind him, she slowly pronounced each syllable in his name. "Sandor!"

With an instant, Dr. John Seward, vampire killer, doctor, and friend, felt a hot sensation across his throat, quickly followed by a numbing coldness. Sandor roughly kicked the chair out from under him. The Countess stared over his body as he tried in vain to heave himself up. "Come Sandor, our work here is finished."

"What of our other plans?" Sandor, after wiping the blade clean, sheathed his dagger and looked down at the body. He scrapped his bloody boot across the carpet, as the Countess's smile grew wider.

"Oh, fear not loyal Sandor, our plans are all coming to fruition even as we speak."

October 8, 1934

Funerals, as a rule, tend to run the gauntlet between genuinely somber affairs with the mourners sobbing and gnashing their teeth, or merely pretend mourning, with many a dry eye and perhaps a few quivering lips. The funeral of Dr. John Seward was a cross between the two. Having no family left and few genuine friends, the mourning party was mostly made up of those that knew him best: a few colleges, the ground staff of the sanitarium, and a few members of his club that couldn't be bothered to come up with a better excuse. The sun shone brightly down upon the assembled group as the minister stepped forward to say a few words.

Far off in the distant, ducking between the rows of mausoleums, were two people that many of the guests would not know. If one of the mourners had excused themselves and darted back, they might have been lucky enough to clearly spot the pair that was presently busy watching the proceedings. The Creature doffed his hood as he spied the pallbearers approaching with the coffin. "We should not be here."

His companion, otherwise known as the Girl, shook her head. The state of her vocal chords rendered her mostly mute, but she was fully capable of understanding what was being spoken. Holding her hand up, the Creature nodded. "Very well." She drifted off to be closer to the funeral. As she walked away, the Creature's thoughts drifted back to the cabin of an artic explorer and the emaciated frame of a half mad medical student. Gazing around the cold marble walls, the Creature wondered if, and assuming that he could, die, who would mourn him?

"No, it's her that needs the help." In many ways he was envious of her relationship with Dr. Seward. After all, the elderly doctor had been there almost from the start to raise and teach her, whereas He had been left alone to the elements. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew a tattered newspaper. The ink was smeared and smelled faintly of fish, but the headline was clear.

"Killer Wolf on the Prowl!"

From the Diary of ---,

We buried my father today. He wasn't really my father, as I am sure I have dozens if not more responsible for my birth, but he was the only one to raise me. I had to wait until all the mourners left before I could even approach the headstone.

I'm getting away from the point. My father was murdered, of that I am sure. We left the cemetery and broke into his office. The police had already been there, of course, but as we looked, we found a clue.

Under my father's desk a message had been scratched. I have no doubt that the police spotted it, but I doubt they would comprehend its meaning.

D

Dracula has returned, but this only raises more questions. We will be staying in on the grounds while we investigate. The rumors and sightings of a killer wolf have also worried me.

D

Dr. Carl Fletcher wiped his brow. Staring down at the covered sheet before him, he licked his dry lips, more out of nervous energy than any sort of biological need. His small practice had been profitable, but not enough for his habits. When the mysterious woman entered his office one late night and offered him all that gold…

"Carl, you're fool." He whispered under his breath. The past few months had been profitable, yes, his recent guests had been demanding more and more of him. The sheet shifted as the thing under it moved. Eyeing a tray of surgical tools, he briefly thought about ending the wretched creature's existence right there, only to jump back as he felt a cold hand on his neck.

"Good evening doctor." The Countess spoke with no warmth in her voice. "I trust your last operation was a complete success?" She didn't even bother to disguise the threats anymore. Her servant Sandor eyed him balefully from the entranceway.

"Yes, yes it was." He forced himself to regain his composure. "I've taken the notes you provided and modified its brain chemistry"

""Its' Doctor? Speak with more respect." The Countess stepped away from him and went to the head of the table. "After all, she is capable of thinking and speaking now, correct?"

"Yes, and much more. I modified Dr. Walters' serum. Her transformations should be more or less at your command."

She looked up sharply. "More or less? I paid you for definitive results doctor, not possibilities!" She tore the sheet away from the operating table. He couldn't help but gasp at the sight.

Part of him was proud of the thing on the operating table. When Sandor had arrived late one night with the girl, Paula Dupree was her name, He had written the entire experiment off as impossible. She was utterly broken in both mind and body. It was odd what gold can accomplish however, and soon he found himself setting shattered limbs and binding torn ligaments. The kicker to the macabre affair was her head. As the strong operating lamp shown its light down directly on her features, Carl had to allow himself a fleeting moment of pity. The girl's baldhead shined in the light, showcasing a neat cross section of stitches across her forehead and down the sides of her face.

The brain was the hardest thing. The operations were long; in fact he had little inkling about what he was doing. The brain and all of its problems were his field of study, true, but altering the chemical levels and the physical structure in order to prevent the patient from randomly turning into an ape was not something he had ever planned on doing.

"She's still sedated, we should wait until later before trying anything." He meekly tried to step forward, but a glare from the Countess froze him.

"And I say we wake her now. If you failed, doctor, we must know now while we still have time." Bending down, she forced Paula's eyes open. Lifting her hand up, her ring caught the light and reflected it into Paula's uncomprehending eye. The Countess spoke, her voice drifting as she stared into the blank face. "Listen to me. I have crossed seas of time for my vengeance, and I shall not be denied. Open you eyes Paula Dupree, open them and become my servant." Paula's breathing started to increase. "When I remove my hand, you shall awake. You shall know what I know, and speak when I command. Your other self shall come out only at my bidding and never before. Do you understand?"

"Yes I understand." Paula's voice was flat and monotone. Her lids fluttered as the Countess stepped back from the table.

"You did excellent work Doctor." Her words were kind but her tone cruel. "Tell me, how is our other patient?"

Carl groaned inwardly. "The other one is…responding to stimuli Countess."

"Is that all? I wanted her to be my loyal lap dog, not some wild beast."

In a flash her hands were around his throat. Despite her slender build, she was easily lifting up with no effort. "Please, this is an unusual case!" He pleaded. As a look of rage melted away on her face, she dropped him.

"Very well, show me what progress you've made with her." Turning to Paula, she leaned in close and whispered in her ear. "Follow Sandor and obey his every word. I won't be gone long."

Silently, Carl stood up and led the way towards the basement, cursing his greed with every step. Making their way down towards the basement, he had to steel his nerves before opening the door. The Countess none too gently pushed him inside and flipped on the light switch. "This is my solider?"

The girl (Amira? He couldn't recall exactly) lay prone on the ground. Her neck was raw and bloody from where she had tried to escape. The chain was still attached to the wall despite her best efforts. Her nails too were blood soaked, leaving bloody fingerprints all along the wall. Her gown, borrowed from a laundry cart, was badly in need of washing. She weakly held her head up as the Countess stood over her.

"Is my pet hungry?"

"Why?" Amira's voice was raspy. She tried to sit up, but the Countess easily held her down with one foot.

"Because you are useful to me." The Countess raised her hand. "And the knowledge that you will be the one to finally avenge my father is the most wonderful irony."

Carl looked away as she put the young woman under her spell. "Unlock her, now!" The Countess ordered. Carl reluctantly stepped forward and undid the chain. Amira jerkily sat up like a doll and followed her. Once she was up the stairs, the Countess suddenly turned around. "You will stay here until I need you again." Her ring was right in his face. Carl tried to blink, tried to do anything really, but he found his lids unresponsive.

As she slammed the door shut, Carl stood perfectly still in the brightly lit room, unblinking, unmoving, and unable to scream.

Upstairs, Amira stood like a statue as the Countess ordered Paula off of the table. "And now my children, I shall finally put my father's ghost to rest. Go forth my darlings, and remove the last remnants of that fool Englishman's legacy!"

C

The Creature was a thing with a patience that matched his countenance. He had stayed until moonrise in the trees and darkened portions of the forest while the Girl had taken up the same duty elsewhere. The half moon shone down overhead. Around the sanitarium the orderlies had managed to round up the patients and secure the building for the night. "Now only they could protect it."

A sudden rustling of leaves brought his thoughts. His guard relaxed somewhat when he saw it was only the Girl. Leaping down, he saw her signaling. Quickly turning around, he was caught off guard by a lighting fast left cross from a fist the size of his head. Dazed, he stumbled back as his attacker stepped into the moonlight.

"Excellent Paula!" Sandor beamed as Paula's fist returned to normal size. "Teach these patchwork freaks a lesson!" Turning towards the building, he sprinted across the field as Paula rolled backwards and snarled.

"Uh. I remember hearing of you." The Creature kipped up and brought up his fists. Without looking at the Girl, he nodded as she dashed after the fleeing figure, leaving him alone with the silent Paula. "Some kind of ape girl, right?"

For a response, Paula's frame jerked as her body started to swell. She looked the Creature directly in the eye for a second before she gained several more inches on him. Within seconds, she was easily towering over him. Thick coarse hair covered her body as she tore away her flimsy gown. Her muscles swelled and grew on her frame as her brow grew larger. Large teeth protruded from her grinning mouth as she savagely beat her chest. The Creature, had he the tongue for it, might have fired off with some kind of joke. For his response, he snapped off a low hanging tree branch and broke it over the ape's kneecap.

G

The Girl easily caught up to Sandor as he was opening the kitchen door. "Away from me!" He snarled at her as he ducked inside. The Girl ripped the door off of the hinges and charged him, pinning him to the floor.

He grimaced in pain as she pushed downwards on his ribcage. Flaying his arms, he managed to knock over a tin of flour. Scooping up a handful, he threw it into the Girl's eyes. Blinded, she staggered back as he slipped free of the door and darted towards the freight elevator.

Wiping her eyes free, she picked up the nearest thing at hand and threw it at Sandor with all her might. Tragically for him, the closest object at hand was a table. He didn't even have time to scream before the elevator doors opened. The inner door remained closed however, propping his unconscious form up as the Girl dragged him free and waited for the guards to come.

C

The ape that was once Paula snarled in rage as the Creature shattered another tree branch against her leg. The commotion had alerted the staff. Even as the Creature darted between the ape's legs, a small group of orderlies had taken positions along the clearing and were opening fire with various small arms. He heard a call for the army, but he doubted they would get there in time.

As bullets pocked marked the ape's hide, he leaped and found a makeshift foothold on the animal's stomach. Crawling, going hand over hand and using only the thick course hair as a support, he inched his way up. The ape wasn't going to let him stay unmolested, as she roared in defiance. Turning around, she exposed him to the fire of the men, as well as using the lights to her advantage.

Reaching down, she tore him away. Caught in her grip, the Creature struggled as the ape closed her fist around him. Slamming his fists down as hard as he could, his blows did little save enrage the monster further.

He was saved when a thrown bottle sailed through the air and smashed against the ape's face. The beast howled as a white gas poured out of the broken remains. Her grip loosening, the Creature slipped free and dropped to the ground. Rolling away, he caught his breath as the ape stumbled back into the woods. Shrinking as she ran, she was well below the treetops and away as the staff celebrated. The Creature smiled, despite his aches, until they took notice of him. He suddenly found himself staring down the barrels of dozens of assorted pistols and rifles.

"Wait!" Martin, the chief orderly, rushed out. "He's a friend of the misses!"

The assorted staff members looked at the older man with some doubt, but they did lower their weapons. Without missing a beat, Martin assumed command. "Right, now I want someone to go 'round and notify the police. The rest of you come with me." Behind Martin came the Girl, dragging the limp form of Sandor behind her. "This lout was breaking in. Careful, he's a tough one. I need four of you to help me carry him into a cell. I expect the Yard will want to have a word with him." Turning his attention towards the Creature, he gingerly held out his hand. "Sorry about the ruckus, but everyone's nerves have been on edge since the murder."

"I understand." The Creature refused his hand and stood up on his own power. Nodding to the Girl, he took Sandor from her arms. "Where I can put this one?"

Martin nodded and smiled at his strength. "Right this way sir. I know a cozy cell that'll suit him just fine!"

The next day, the sanitarium grounds were active with army and policemen prowling around. The Creature and the Girl stayed hidden away in Dr. Seward's office, their absence explained away as suffering from a rare skin condition. Martin had handled the police, giving them the whole truth, more or less, of last night's activities.

The Girl was busy going over Dr. Seward's notes. Her urgent grunting brought the Creature over. "What is it?" Looking at the paper in her hand, his eyes widened. Before he could speak, the door to the office opened.

"My word!" The man that entered paled at the sight of them. He was thin, with a hatchet face and graying hair. His nose stuck out like a beak as his eyes soaked in the scene around him. "I say, I was told this was the late Dr. Seward's office."

"It is." The Creature turned and faced the man. "And who might you be?"

"My name is Van Helsing, Professor Lawrence Van Helsing. I received a telegram two weeks ago from Dr. Seward to come at once, but I fear I was too late. And you are?"

"A friend. The Girl here" He stepped aside and pointed to her, "was Dr. Seward's heir and assistant."

"Ah, excellent!" Van Helsing doffed his hat and coat and placed them on the rack by the door. "I had some questions to ask about the telegram."

The Creature nodded again. "Then I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. She's mute."

"I see! My apologies then." Walking towards them, he pulled up a chair and sat across from her. "I was on a lecture tour of the Western United States when I received word from John. Tell me, how did he die?"

The Girl stiffened. Nervously reaching for a pen, she scribbled on a piece of newspaper and handed it to Van Helsing. Gingerly taking it, and being mindful of the Creature's ever-watchful eyes, Van Helsing's face paled as he read over it. "I see. In this very room; tragic, but tell me, the papers mentioned word of an assailant being captured. Is this true?" The Girl nodded and stood up. Without a word, Dr. Van Helsing followed her.

Downstairs, the trio entered the cells where they found one of the sanitarium's doctors exiting Sandor's cell. "Dr. Garth?" The Creature spoke first, startling the young doctor.

"Oh!" Regaining his composure, the young psychiatrist wiped his brow. "Forgive me, you startled me." Straightening himself, he looked the Creature in the eye. "What can I do for you?"

Dr. Van Helsing spoke. "I'm told you have a patient in there."

"Yes, queer one that. Wait, who are you?"

"Dr. Lawrence Van Helsing. I was called in, but never mind that. May I speak with the patient?" He pulled out his credentials. Dr. Garth glanced over the paperwork and nodded.

"Looks in order sir. Would you mind if I sat in with you?"

S

Inside the cell, Sandor glowered at them. Bound with a straightjacket, he sat with a petulant look on his face as Van Helsing entered the cell. When he stepped into the light, and allowed him a look at his features, Sandor sat up. "You!"

Van Helsing was silent as Sandor raved. "Yes, yes! Perfect, now everything and everyone is here! The pieces are ready!"

Holding up his hand to silence Dr. Garth, Van Helsing leaned in close. "You were expecting me?"

Sandor grinned. There was no madness in his smile, nor manic energy in his eyes. There was simply the look of a man content. "No Professor, no. Nothing is expected, but rather prewritten. Your part in this grand play shall come, but know this, now that the pieces are assembled, nothing shall stop them."

Exiting the cell, Van Helsing felt his brow grow damp. "Well, what do you think of that?" Dr. Garth made notes in his journal as they walked down the hall.

"The man's mad, obviously. Perhaps it would be better if I left. My presence seemed to unduly agitate the man."

"Nonsense. Besides, he's only staying with us for a few more hours. The police have sent for a van to take him to London tonight."

"Oh?"

"Yes, something about a series of attacks. Grisly business, but don't let it worry you."

October 5

From the gramophone recordings of Professor Lawrence Van Helsing

"_Journal entry-number ten. I am still in shock as I record this. I am no stranger to the supernatural or the macabre, but tonight I was caught between forces the likes I have not encountered first hand."_

"_At the insistence of the Creature, as he calls himself, we packed the man called Sandor into a sanitarium truck that afternoon and hand delivered him to the police. After making sure he was secured, we set up a vigil around him, waiting for his dreaded master to appear."_

Deep breathing, followed by silence "_I am no coward, nor am I prone to nervous hysteria, but after what I saw tonight may very well haunt me for the rest of my days. As the sun sank, Sandor became more animated. Shouting, wailing, cursing, he threatened everyone within earshot. He kept this up for several hours until his throat finally became too dry to continue. As the moon rose higher and the witching hour approached, we thought it was safe. We were wrong."_

Sound of glass tinkling "_We were caught unaware like nothing more than children. At first we heard nothing, but then there was a distinct rumbling. The police officers responded most efficiently, but I dare say no one was truly prepared for what happened."_

Long silence "_It was a gorilla. Many times the size of a normal one I should say, but a giant gorilla. It ripped the top portion of the station away like it was made of tissue. As the police struggled with this attack, another player entered the game. A werewolf. From what the Girl has told me, this poor cursed creature was once like herself. Whoever she was before, I can say with full certainty that the person is gone. What entered the station had the cunning of a human, yes, but the killer lusts of an animal. The wolf tore through scores of men. The Creature was busy battling with the gorilla, leaving it myself and the Girl to guard Sandor."_

From the journal of the Girl

Tonight I feel like I have been murdered twice. First for Sandor having escaped and the next- Amira is alive. She is alive, but she might as well as be dead. She was working and taking orders from Sandor. How is this possible? Can we reverse it?

I have to go back, to earlier in the evening. Paula, that poor miserable wretch, attacked the police station. She easily crumbled the roof like a child's toy. Professor Van Helsing and I stayed with Sandor as the police tried to fight off the attack. We were inside his cell in the basement. Half a dozen policemen stayed outside the cell. We heard gunfire and screaming, then nothing.

Before we could do anything, the cell door was ripped away and looming in the doorway was a werewolf. One look into her eyes and I knew it was Amira. I tried to shout her name, but my voice failed me. Van Helsing tried to stop her, but she easily swatted him aside and knocked him out.

She snarled and lunged towards me. I couldn't bring myself to harm her, I just couldn't. With Dr. Seward dead she is the closest thing I have to family. I ducked aside and did nothing as Amira snapped Sandor's chains and carried him out. As they went through the blood soaked hallway, I realized something. I'm sure it goes without saying and surely others have thought of it, but Amira must be under some kind of control. Dr. Seward, despite all of his efforts, could never bring the Wolf under control. Here, she easily carried Sandor away like he was an egg.

We know what's going on, but Sandor is obviously just a helper. Who is controlling them all?

October 8

The cleanup was not pleasant. Bodies had to be buried, as well as trying to answer questions that many of them simply could not answer. Within the study of Dr. Seward, Van Helsing poured over the facts.

"The letter D you say?" He was sitting by the window. The sanitarium was now being patrolled by full Army brigade. None of the men questioned the orders regarding silver bullets.

"You think Dracula had something to do with this?" The Creature glanced at the late doctor's books. Seward had been one of the few men who had treated him like a human instead of a monster. The decompression was quick; he wanted revenge as much as the Girl. Of all of them, only she sat in Dr. Seward's chair.

"It's possible, but from what you've told me, Dracula is dead. Dr. Seward performed all the necessary rituals; so much so I doubt anything could bring him back. A follower then?"

"Sandor might be one of Dracula's followers. He employed Gypsies, correct?"

"More like any poor fool who fell under his spell. Sandor could be one of them, or a relative of one, but I doubt he has the will power to control two animals."

The Girl slapped the table as she picked up a copy of the evening paper. Thrusting it into Van Helsing's hands, she pointed at a small article and accompanying photo. "What's this, last week's paper?" Van Helsing paled as he read the article. His jaw dropped as he read the article.

"Shown here with her bodyguard, the Countess Marya Zaleska, recently arrived from a tour of Eastern Europe, has already set the London art scene aflame with her captivating paintings."

The picture showed a beautiful woman. Dressed in fine clothes, she stood before a gallery. The thing that brought the picture to their attention, however, was not the woman but rather the man standing behind her. Skulking in the shadows, with one hand up to ward off the flash of the cameras, was one figure none of them had any trouble recognizing: Sandor!

G

From the Journal of the Girl

We left for London the next day. It wasn't easy making our way towards the center of such a busy area, and the Countess already has a week's head start. Professor Van Helsing managed to get all three of us one small compartment to ourselves, which I am thankful for. The pair of us had to wear such stifling disguises when we went through the terminal.

Our trip was quick, but all the while I can't but feel like we are willingly going into a trap. I don't doubt that Sandor is hiding; after all, he did commit murder and more than enough people saw him escape. The only problem is what can we do? If we are to battle I doubt we can fight in London. Professor Van Helsing has volunteered to go to the next gallery where this countess is having her show.

From what we have been able to discover about her has done little for out spirits. We have a birth certificate, but Van Hesling swears that those can be forged. We know she is from Transylvania, and that also has spent several years in various mental institutions ever since she was a child.

Sandor is a different case. Aside from the theory that he might be one of Dracula's minions or related to one, we have noting. No record of any kind, but there is one burning question: How does a man like that meet with a woman like the Countess?

V

Van Helsing nervously tugged at his tie. Their plan to confront the Countess seemed to be working, as he mingled with the other party guests. Examples of her paintings were hung around the gallery, and he had to admit she did possess some talent. Her paintings were all dark though, morbid and cruel images of death and forbidden places. He stopped before a particularly foul one and gazed over the detail. The image showed what appeared to be a man slowly being skinned, his flesh pulled in various directions by obscene things while malevolent eyes peered from on high.

He was so enraptured by the scene that he failed to notice the woman standing behind him. "Do you like it?"

Spinning around, Van Helsing felt his throat clench tight as he found himself staring directly into the eyes of the Countess herself. "Ah, yes, quite lovely."

She smirked. "Not one of my better efforts I fear, but the public eats it up." Noticing his empty glass, she moved over to a nearby liquor cabinet. "Would you care for some more wine? It's from an excellent year." She lifted the darkly colored bottle.

"Oh no thank you, I fear I was only drinking water. Although if you would care to drink with me…"

Her smirk softened. "I'm sorry, but I never drink…wine."

"Ah, of course, excuse me."

Setting the bottle back down, she gestured towards a small seat out on the veranda. "Why don't we move this talk to a more comfortable area?"

Van Helsing slipped his hand inside his coat pocket and clutched his cross. The veranda was dark, with a heavy door separating from the outside. A perfect place for a secret rendezvous, or an attack

The Countess draped herself over the seat and gently patted the adorning cushion. "Come now, I won't bite."

Nervously he sat down. She leaned in close enough to whisper. "I know what you have planned Van Helsing, and I can assure you, you will fail and die."

"That remains to be seen, but tell me Countess, why strike now? And why use innocents?"

She leaned back. "I have my reasons. As for your pets, they suited my needs; nothing more." Snapping her fingers, Van Helsing leapt to his feet as Sandor appeared from the shadows. "Calm yourself. Sandor shall provide you with a map. The hour fast approaches mortal, and I wish an end to this dance."

"Come with me sir." Sandor reached out, but Van Helsing drew back. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his cross and held it up. The Countess flinched, but nothing more. Sandor grinned. "I think you'll find that trinket is quite useless here." Reaching into his jacket, Sandor pulled out a small vial and threw its contents in Van Helsing's face.

Gagging, he tried to stumble back towards the crowd, but only made it a few feet before collapsing against the door. The Countess loomed over him with a hungry look in her eye, but Sandor held up his hand. "Not here!"

She relented, but she stared out at the partygoers. "Very well, but I hunger. Bring me," She gazed at the guests like she was ordering off a menu. "That blond over in the corner. Tell her I want her to model for me."

"Very well." Sandor effortlessly picked up Van Helsing and dragged him away. "Shall I put him in the alley?"

"Yes, but be quick. Time is running out." Lifting up her enemy's head, she smiled cruelly. "I won't kill you yet mortal, but rest assured, I will have my revenge."

G

The Creature and the Girl waited back at the hotel. "The full moon is not for another week, do you think we can find Amira in time?"

The Girl shook her head. "I don't know," she wrote on her blackboard. "Could we stop her?"

Just then a knocking came from the door. The Creature carefully looked through the peephole. "Van Helsing!" Opening it, he caught the dazed man just before he hit the floor. "What happened?"

"The Countess knows. She is setting a trap, but" he pulled a scrap of paper from his pocket. "This is all I could get from them."

The paper was not a map but rather a crude note. Holding it up to the light, the Creature slowly read it aloud as the Girl helped Van Helsing to his feet.

"Come to the place where our legacies began and ended."

"From there you will see friends and foes alike and be reborn in blood."

"Arrive however & whenever you desire, but know that two knights will not be enough."

As he finished it, the Creature saw a shadow at the window. Before he could shout, Paula's massive hand broke through the glass and snagged the Girl. Yanking her out, the Creature rushed to the broken window, only to see Paula's retreating from leaping from rooftop to rooftop.

V

Professor Van Helsing was not a man prone to inaction. Dusting himself off, he helped the Creature up. Sneaking out before the hotel staff arrived, the man made monster and monster hunter snuck off towards the giant gorilla's direction. It wasn't a hard trail, as the police and army units were already mobilizing to meet the threat. "She's not even trying to hide anymore," Van Helsing wheezed as he tried to keep up the pace with the Creature. "But that message-"

"'Where our legacies began and ended'? Do you think she means Castle Dracula?"

"I wouldn't doubt it." He stopped short. "Wait, how are we to get there?" Judging from the direction Paula was running towards, it was clear she wasn't going to towards the airports, but rather the countryside. "Perhaps a private airstrip?" He shook his head. "She's going towards the interior of the country, not away. Castle Dracula is the key, I'm sure, but how can we get there? I'm short on funds as it is, and our absence from the hotel might tie things up."

"Don't worry." The Creature stepped into a nearby alley. "I've had quite a few years to practice boarding ships. We'll have to get to a ship quickly though."

"But that closest ship to Europe would be in either Portsmouth or Brighton!"

"Yes, but what other option do we have?" A rumbling truck rounded the corner. Van Helsing grew animated. "If we drove, we might be able to get there faster."

C

October 13

It had taken much time to leave the city and elude authorities, but the strange duo made it to the countryside. The Creature was well hidden in a small thicket as Van Helsing attempted to flag down a passing truck. Starting to wave his arms, he graduated to standing in the middle of the road as the umpteenth driver passed him by. Seeing a large truck going around the bend, the Creature rushed from the woods and yanked the man back before he was hit.

The truck driver slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop. "Hey, what do you lot think you're doing?" He shouted as he exited the cab.

"I'm very sorry, but we're in a hurry." The driver opened his mouth, but failed to bring it back up as the Creature stepped out of the shadows. With a strangled scream the man sprinted past them and darted off down the road.

"We had better leave." The Creature nonchalantly opened the passenger door and climbed in as Van Helsing took the wheel. "We can find a ship that will take us to the Continent, but did you bring enough weapons?"

Van Helsing glanced down at his feet. A small bag was neatly wedged under the seat. "I can only hope and pray." The two drove in silence for the rest of the journey.

A

Amira jerked at the collar around her neck. The last year had been nothing more than a blur. She recalled falling and the cold, but nothing else. The memories of fighting with Paula made her grind her teeth as she stared at the woman calmly sitting down. Paula sat reading a children's book over the corner of the dungeon while the Girl was shackled to the wall like herself. "Why are you helping her?"

Paula put her book down. "I…don't know." Her voice was hesitant. "She's good to me."

"But look at us!" She held up her chain and pointed to the still unmoving Girl. "Do you call this good?"

Before she could answer, Sandor entered the dungeon. "Actually yes." Turning towards Paula, his eyes met hers and instantly she dropped her book and stood ramrod straight. "Ignore them." Focusing on Amira, he smiled grimly.

Amira defiantly spat at him. He ignored it. "And you two shall be the center pieces of our plan."

"What do you mean?"

Sandor laughed, its echo ringing off of the ancient stones. His laughter continued as he turned and left the pair. Amira continued to yank against the chain.

S

Sandor smile grew as he entered the main hall. The castle was crumbling but parts were still usable. All around him were signs of the past. Cobwebs grew thick in the corners as tables and chairs, some of them unmolested since the Crusades, still sat in their original positions.

The only things that belonged to the present were the shiny black coffin that sat in the center of the hall and the disheveled form of Dr. Fletcher. "Get up." Sandor roughly kicked the dazed man's feet as he struggled to rise. The man gone with them under mild protest, and had spent the entirety of his time drunk. Several empty bottles rolled away as Sandor brushed past them.

"What do you want now?" He whined as Sandor looked down at him.

"Get away from the mistress's coffin. It is not to touched by the likes of you."

Dr. Fletcher stumbled away. "Alright, alright, I get the point. Does that girl need more work?" He slurred his words as he tried to focus his eyes.

"Not at the moment. We, however, do require one more thing from you. Follow me please." Sandor marched up the stone stairs, while Dr. Fletcher tried to follow.

S

Sanodr stood on the parapet looking down at the chasm below. The entire castle was perched on the edge of the mountain, making a direct assault almost impossible. "Look at it man, look at this!" He swept his arms. Fletcher nervously hung back, propped up against the doorway. "This is history incarnate!"

"Fantastic, but why bring me here?"

Sandor turned, and Fletcher shrank back as he saw the evil glint in his eyes. "My master, my true master, has been asleep for so long." He stepped forward. Instinctively, Dr. Fletcher shrank back. "He needs life in order to live again. True life, yes, but also…special life as well."

A thought pierced the alcohol-clouded mind of Dr. Carl Fletcher. A sole, all consuming thought fired through his hazy mind. Something primal, something so basic, something that reverberated in the back of man's mind since primeval time; less an coherent line of thought and more of an urging.

RUN

Fletcher stumbled back. Sandor seemed to loom larger and closer to him with every step. Throwing up his arms in a desperate attempt to ward the man away, Dr. Carl Fletcher failed to see the first step behind him, or the second one beneath it. His heel not finding a solid surface, he grew dizzy as all sense of balance fled and he fell. He hit the steps hard and his momentum carried him back down to the main hall.

Several minutes later, Sandor joined Dr. Fletcher at the bottom of the stairs. The only difference between the two was that Sandor was very much alive. Looking down at the bloodied, broken shell of body, Sandor smirked. "And with your final breath, you finally become a true asset to us." Dragging the body by the ankles, Sandor hauled the corpse to a nearby door and dumped it, with about as much ceremony as he would with a bag of trash, behind the door and went about his business.

Looking down at the polished coffin, he lightly ran his fingers over the lacquered wood. "Soon Master, soon."

V

October 26, Borgo Pass

Van Helsing and the Creature hurried along the dark wood as they neared their destination. Wolves howled off in the distance as they spotted lights. "Wait here while I get us some rooms."

"No! We need to press on!" The Creature clamped a giant hand on Van Helsing's shoulder, but the thinner man refused to budge. The trek had been long and fraught with peril. At nearly every turn some unseen assailant slowed their path. Plagued with misfortune, they still pressed on towards Transylvania. Crossing the border that morning, the duo rode all day until their mounts fell from exhaustion. The Creature's mood was already foul, and his temper had been growing steadily worse.

"Yes, and then what? We attack a vampire's lair in the middle of the night? No, we wait until daybreak, when she'll be at her weakest." Hearing the Creature's heavy breathing, he slipped himself free. "I know, I know, but we must have a plan of attack."

Van Helsing and the Creature parted ways. Approaching the inn, he quickly found himself overwhelmed by the smell of garlic. Gloves and entire laurels of the stuff were nailed across the door and windows. Opening the door, he slipped inside.

Inside the inn, the main room was filled with long tables and benches placed before a roaring fire. The locals and other travelers all sat huddled together, each one casting a weary eye at his approach. Stepping up to the bar, Van Helsing beckoned to the keep. "Excuse me, I need a room for the night."

The bar keep, a portly man nervously stepped forward. With heavily accented English, he rubbed his hands together. "You, want room, yes?"

"Yes, Yes I do. Just for the night." Putting his bag on the counter, he unbuttoned his jacket. "And maybe a bite to eat while I'm at it."

"Ah, good, good." The man exited the bar and took his bag. "Follow me sir, many rooms tonight."

The crowd went back to their drinking as they walked up the narrow stairs. "Tell me, why is everyone so nervous?"

The bar keeper glanced back at him as he unlocked the door. "Is bad night for travel. Devils, demons and worse roam the roads, ever since the lights started to appear at the castle."

Stepping inside, Van Helsing nodded in agreement. "Yes, I was meaning to ask someone about that. What kind of lights? I'm an artist by trade, and I would like to capture some of the old monuments. Do you know if anyone is living there?"

The fat man's flesh paled as he heard Van Helsing's words. "No! No one living!" He shook his head and tried to compose himself. "Excuse me sir, but that castle, it is a foul place. Many people have gone there and never come back. Please, stay the night but promise me you'll won't go to that unholy place."

Van Helsing nodded. The man's fear was genuine and bordered on hysteria. Taking a crudely made cross from his pocket, the keeper thrust it into his hands and made him promise not to remove it. After the man left, Van Helsing turned around to find himself face to face with the Creature. Shaken, he stepped back. "How did you?"

"It wasn't easy, but your window overlooks the stables." Carefully closing the window back, he sat down in a hand made chair. "Alright, so we're here. What are we to do now?"

Sitting down on the bed, Van Helsing opened his bag and placed its contents before him. "We have plenty of weapons." He picked up various stakes and vials of holy water before putting them back into the bag. "But that Sandor is no vampire."

"If he is mortal, then I can handle him."

"Perhaps, but do not underestimate him." Recalling his past confrontation and shuddering, Van Helsing examined a small pistol. "We also don't know how many servant they have; for all we know there could be an army of vampires awaiting us."

The Creature grumbled, but he saw the point. Nodding, he closed his scarred lids and went to sleep as Van Helsing affixed crosses to both the door and window. Satisfied that the room was secure, Van Helsing stretched out and slept. He dreamed of nothing but blackness.

October 27

Van Helsing and the Creature, after a brief breakfast, found themselves journeying by foot towards Castle Dracula. The sun, despite its place in the sky, seemingly gave off no heat as they walked the desolate trail. It was already noon by the time they made it to the top of the peak.

It was on the road to the castle itself that they made a horrifying discovery; along the road were bodies. Young girls, old men, animals, all had been drained of blood. The stench hung heavy in the air, forcing Van Helsing to cover his mouth as they moved further and further down the path. The Creature, to his credit, stoically refused any aid as he walked ahead. Resting periodically, they both noted that the sun seemed to be setting much quicker than normal.

"It's as if she knows we're here." The Creature grumbled as the spires of the castle appeared off in the distance. The castle was situated at the very edge of the abyss, with a deep pass the only towards the front. The Creature stopped and held up his hand, "Hold." He slipped into the shadows. "You go ahead. I'll try to find another way in."

Before Van Helsing could protest, he was left alone on the desolate mountain pass with the sun rapidly sinking. Hurrying forwards, he approached the castle's outer wall. The drawbridge was up, but dozens of lit torches dotted the parapets. As he stood outside in the cold, the shifting of rock made him turn. Behind him was Paula in her fully transformed state. Before he could move, she easily swatted him aside.

Picking up the dazed professor, the gorilla waited patiently as the drawbridge came down. Entering under the watchful eye of Sandor, the door closed behind them with a resounding clang. Unseen by all, the Creature watched from a small ledge…

A

Amira's neck was raw and bloody as the Countess made her way into the cell. "Darling, you really shouldn't fight. It might damage that healthy skin of yours."

Amira said nothing and cast her eyes down. The Countess ignored the gesture and continued. "Don't worry my pet, I'll let you roam free. After all, we finally have all the needed ingredients."

Amira looked up. "Then you're out of luck. The full moon's already passed."

The Countess's smile grew. "Oh, that won't be a problem anymore." Still smiling, she lifted up her hand. The light caught the reflection off of her signet ring as she shined it into Amira's eyes.

Before she could question, she felt the terrible pangs of transformation. Falling to her knees, she shook violently against her bonds. "How are you doing this?" She spat blood as her teeth elongated.

"Simple suggestion, an iron will, the usual." The Countess casually stepped over her and undid the chains. "Now get up."

Amira's scream turned into a howl as fur spread over her body. "I'll kill you for this!"

"Highly doubtful. Grab your other friend." She pointed towards the comatose body of the Girl. "And follow me."

She left as Amira's bones shifted. With a tearing of cloth, the Wolf stood up. Grabbing the Girl, she dragged her up the stairs.

V

Van Helsing felt the pressure on his head first. Slowly opening his eyes, he tried to shake the heavy cooper feeling out of his mouth. He was tied down on a stone alter outdoors. The sky was darker than he had ever seen; even the stars could not be seen through the murky blackness. Several torches burned around him, casting weird shadows on the stones. Paula loomed over him as she climbed up the side of the castle. Shrinking down to a more manageable height, she stood guard as the Countess and Sandor entered.

Amira was behind them, dragging the struggling form of the Girl behind her. Weakly raising his head, he felt his stomach bottom out when he saw the Countess toss his bag over the side of the castle. "Awake at last professor?" The Countess's smile gleamed in the torchlight.

"What are you planning to do?" He had to shout as the wind started to pick up.

"Simple. With the deaths of those that wronged my family, and this," She held a simple urn up. "My father shall live again!"

"That's impossible, Dracula sired no daughters!" He tried to bluff as she gently handed the urn back to Sandor.

"Quiet!" Her eyes flashed pure hatred as she pulled a long dagger from her sleeve. "My father came to me while the mortals locked me away! I saw rats running inside a red mist, wait." She blinked as she stepped forward. "Then what about those memories of sunshine?"

Sandor stepped forward and none too gently gripped her arm. "Lies, told by mortals like him." He stared deep into her eyes and in an instant her eyes glazed over.

"Yes, Dracula was my true father." Images of the count looming over her as wolves howled flashed through her mind. "My only father." Roughly grabbing Van Helsing's hair, she yanked his head back as she raised the knife. "And now he will live again!"

"No!" The Girl screamed with a throaty roar as she fought free of the Wolf's clutches. Barreling past Sandor, she tackled the Countess and easily wrestled the knife away from her.

As Sandor turned his attention to the Wolf, the Creature climbed over the side, Van Helsing's bag in his hand. "Kill him!" Sandor ordered as he rushed to the alter. Picking up the fallen blade as the Girl easily flung the Countess across the roof, Sandor posed over the bound man, manic eyes twitching. "And now, the Master shall live!"

As the blade descended, several things happened at once. The first was the Girl picking the Countess up over her head and throwing her at Sandor. The second was the Wolf switching partners and leaping on Paula's back, biting and clawing.

Sandor never saw the Countess flying through the air, but he did feel the impact. Knocked several feet, he fought to stand up as the castle around them shuddered. "The stones can't handle the weight!" Van Helsing shouted as the Girl snapped his bonds. Sliding off the alter, he took the tossed bag from the Creature. Removing his pistol and stake, he faced down the two with the Creature and the Girl behind him.

W

The Wolf saw the gorilla before her. She may not have recognized many things, but she knew a foe when she smelled one. The gorilla was smaller than before, but the scent was the same. Enraged, she leapt on the hairy thing, ripping and biting.

Paula, to her credit, was not the same dumb animal that she was a year ago. Increasing her height, she easily became too large for the Wolf to tackle. Catching her full in the ribs, Paula beat her chest in full glory as the wind raged around her. So consumed was she that she didn't hear Van Helsing's warning, nor did she hear the creaking of the ancient stone beneath her paws. Turning her back to the prone wolf, she lumbered over to the Countess and Sandor. Her lips pulled back, revealing two great fangs, she raged against the rising storm as she reached out with her mighty paws. The Creature leaped forward and, using her wrist as a springboard, leapt towards her face.

Making contact, he slammed both fists into her eyes. Blinded, in pain, she screamed in rage as she stumbled backwards. The Creature never let up. Punching, grinding, he felt the thick skull turn springy under his fists and boots. With a blind desperation Paula reached up and tried to pluck him off as the battlement finally gave way and the pair fell over the side into the darkness below.

V

The Girl cried out as the Creature vanished from sight, but the laughing of Sandor and the Countess quickly replaced the sorrow with rage. Reaching down and ripping part of the alter away, she threw the heavy stone at them. It missed, but only barely. The Countess rushed forward, her mouth drawn back in a mad grimace as Sandor picked up the knife and advanced on Van Helsing.

The Girl easily countered her charge and lashed out with a kick that caught her in the chest. The Countess flew backwards, hitting Sandor. She moaned in pain as Sandor's blade pierced between her shoulder blades. "I'm bleeding?" She gasped as she tried to stand. "How?" She slumped over as Sandor pulled the blade out.

"Enough of this!" He leapt over the Countess's body and darted towards the archway.

The Girl pointed at the Countess while she followed the fleeing man. Van Helsing nodded and focused his attention on the dying woman. Rolling her over on her front, he checked the wound as the Countess tried to stand up. "Don't touch me, don't touch me!" She sobbed as she clawed at the stones. "I'll turn into a bat, a wolf, mist, you can't kill me!"

Feeling her neck, he felt her pulse growing weaker. "Good Heavens, you weren't a vampire after all!"

"Liar! Sandor made me one, I'm strong, strong!" Her trashing grew weaker.

"But Sandor isn't a vampire either. He's human, like me."

The Countess's mind unraveled faster as she struggled to her feet. "No, I'm a vampire1 I am the daughter of Dracula!" Seeing a bat fly by, she staggered forwards. "I can fly, I can prove it!" Before Van Helsing could stop her she leapt from the battlement. She seemed to hover in the air for a second before plummeting towards the ground. She hit ground before the castle with a sick impact and laid still.

"Poor mad girl." Van Helsing crossed himself as he picked up his bag and followed the Girl.

G

The Girl followed Sandor into the depths of the castle. She darted down the stairs and into the great hall. Broken cobwebs and footprints in the dust showed her way as she gained on him. Running at full speed, she darted through the main hall and up into the stairs into another section of the castle. She stopped as she neared section that broke off into three halls. Seeing a tapestry ruffling lightly, she went down the center hallway and tore the ancient thing off of the wall. Behind it was a secret entranceway. Steeling her nerve, she darted down the steps as she heard Sandor's breathing and footsteps ahead of her.

Plunging down into the dark she slowed down, as the steps grew narrower and smaller. "Yes, come closer!" Sandor's mocking tone echoed off of the stone around her. "I have spent my entire life serving Dracula. There is nothing is this castle that happens without my knowing." His voice grew higher in pitch as a long thin dagger threw the air and missed the Girl by inches. "Its secrets are mine and mine alone. You can not to stop me or the Master's return!"

The Girl reached down and picked up a loose piece of masonry. Concentrating, she reached out and felt the walls around her. The ceiling was high, but the walls were narrow and curved. Sandor would have few places to hide. Throwing the rock, she smiled when she heard it connect. His whimpering quickly turned to an ugly snarl. "You think you can stop me? All I need is blood, and yours will do nicely." Hearing him approach, she slipped her hand into her shoe and pulled out a match.

The Creature always told her to carry something capable of making fire. "Fire was the one thing I feared in my early days, but it can be a lifesaver." Reaching out and finding a dry patch, she waited, as Sandor's footsteps grew louder. As they drew close and she could make out the faint outline of his body, she struck the match.

Blinded, Sandor threw his arm up. Rushing forward, the Girl tackled him. The large urn in his hands slipped and crashed to the ground. "No, no!" He bellowed in rage as his hands reached out tried to grasp her throat. Shoving the lit match in his face, Sandor screamed as he jerked back.

The tunnel, again plunged into darkness, became a most unusual battleground. With only a few feet around them to spare, the two locked themselves into a deadly embrace. Sandor was larger and certainly had much more skill in terms of fighting, but his style depended heavily on his mesmerism. In the dark, with an opponent unable to look into his eyes, plus deprived of any sort of room, put him in the disadvantage.

The Girl, despite being a novice in terms of grappling ability, was much stronger. She proved this by gripping his arms and squeezing them. Despite his blows, her grip never faltered and he was quickly screaming as his bones slowly snapped under the pressure. Flinging him to the ground, the Girl effortlessly gripped his ankles and threw him onto the steps. Bounding over him, she darted back into the hallway.

S

Sandor wheezed with pain as he tried to crawl. He felt something hot poking against something wet inside. Grasping, he coughed thick fluid. "Master, where are you?" A sudden rush of wind overhead and sound of grunting made him look up. "What are you doing?" He spat out a tooth as the Girl gripped the walls with both hands. The realization of her plan made him cold. "Stop! Please!" He tried to crawl up the steps as, thanks to the Girl's efforts, cracks began to appear in the ancient stone.

G

Tensing her muscles, the Girl wretched the keystone out before bringing the passageway down around Sandor, burying him alive under nearly a ton of stone and mortar. She stayed for a minute, her breathing slowing as she waited and listened. When she heard no sound coming from the rubble, she turned and went back up to the battlements.

A

The Wolf was confused. She looked to the sky, expecting to see the Moon, yet all above her was nothing but black. She couldn't feel it either. She knew that above those black clouds was nothing more than a black sky. Sitting up, the pain of her attack already fading, she snarled at the sight of the man before her. Oddly, she felt neither hunger nor rage at the sight of him. Rising to her hind legs, she carefully stepped forward. A thought struck her though, why was she walking on two legs instead of four?

V

Van Helsing readied his pistol as the werewolf stalked towards him. Raising it, he took careful aim as the wolf looked around. Strangely, it didn't seem to notice him or the gun. If anything, it seemed more confused than anything else. It looked around blankly. Suddenly, the wolf howled and fell to the floor. In morbid fascination, Van Helsing stepped closer as the wolf's fur started to recede. Its claws dulled and reshaped into hands while its face slowly changed into that of a human woman. "Amira?"

A

Opening her eyes, Amira felt cold. Tears flowed her cheeks as she looked up and saw the man with the gun. "Finish it." She felt empty inside.

Van Helsing lowered his gun. "No, I won't kill an innocent." Reaching out, she swatted his hand away.

"I'm not an innocent! I've killed, God, I've killed so many." She jumped to her feet, and for a second he thought she was going to throw herself over the side. "Please, I can't stop the wolf anymore!"

"Listen to me, there must be a cure. I can help you. Your friends want to help you as well."

"That's right." The Creature grunted as he swung himself over the side and stepped towards them.

"But I saw you fall!" Van Helsing exclaimed.

"I saved myself by grabbing onto rocks. Paula wasn't so lucky." He pointed towards the crevasse. "She went right into it."

"A pity." Van Helsing turned back towards Amira. "Please, let us help you. After all we've been through, don't let it end like this." He extended his hand. Slowly, Amira reached out and took it. Together the three of them walked down from the battlements.

As the trio walked down the grand staircase, they ran into the Girl. Her eyes lit up as she saw Amira and without a second's hesitation, rushed up the stone steps and enveloped her in a hug. Without saying anything, the two simply held onto each other as the sunlight slowly creped over the mountains. After the tears had been wiped, Van Helsing sprinkled holy water and placed crosses at all points of entry around the castle. "No again will evil set foot in this home." He declared it safe as the Creature and the Girl knocked various supports beams down, just to make sure. The four of them, two creatures made from the dead, one human, and one werewolf, exited the crumbling castle as dawn broke over the remains of Castle Dracula. Looking back at the shattered windows, the blood soaked stones seemed to finally be at peace.

The end

Based on the following films

**Dracula's Daughter** (1936) dir. Lambert Hillyer, Universal Studios

**Horror of Dracula** (1958) dir. Terrance Fisher, Hammer Studios

**Jungle Woman** (1944) dir. Reginald Le Borg, Universal Studios

This is intended as a sequel to my Screaming Dead series. All rights reserved for all the various copyright holders. No infringement or profit is intended.


	5. The House of Death

October 15, 1935

October 15, 1935

"A cliché is never a good omen." The Creature, often dubbed 'Frankenstein', despite his being unrelated to the man, peered into the night. Around them, the van was rocked back and forth by the storm that threatened to send them off the road at any moment.

Amira had been staying at the sanitarium ever since they found her. Her moods had grown worse and all attempts to cure her had failed. Much to Amira's horror, she found that she could not die. Silver was the only thing that could harm her, and both the Girl and the Creature had made sure to keep the precious metal out of her reach.

Things had been steadily declining, until they found an odd bit of news in an obscure journal. In the far most reaches of Tibet grew a strange flower. Called 'mariphasa', the journal reported on the plants' odd method of growing under moonlight. Several expeditions had set out, but most failed. The plant, it seemed, could only be nurtured in its native soil and any exposure to sunlight would kill it. It also, possibly, possessed strange curative capabilities.

They were ready to write the whole thing off when it came known to them, via secondhand sources, that a small family in a remote part of Wales had somehow managed to overcome the plants weakness and were busy cultivating a large number of samples. Taking a van from the sanitarium, they had driven all the way towards the isolated home. The more they heard about the family, though, the less sure they were.

A storm had appeared, suddenly and violently, as they drew closer to the infamous Femm House. Rain had quickly turned the roads to mud and the rivers to oceans. Waterfalls cascaded down the hillside. With a shudder, the road behind them gave way in a frenzy of raging water. Before the Creature could comment, the van was knocked off of the road by a large boulder.

Tumbling end over end, the van rolled to a stop in a ditch. When the world stopped spinning, Amira leaned forward from the back. "Is everyone alright?" Her eyes were sunken in and weak. "I'd hate to think I'd die before getting cured."

"We're fine." The Creature grunted. His tolerance for Amria's depression was growing thin. "The van is a wash. We're going to have to hike." Loosening his safety belt, he and the Girl gathered their few belongings. Kicking out the back door, all three of them rushed forward into the blinding downpour.

The rain came down at them like an old god's fury. Stinging, blinding, the rain seemed to be working in tandem with the ground. The mud oozed around their ankles and refused to let go without a fight. Twice the Girl had to stop to undo a shoe buckle to free her feet.

Midway up the hill, the Creature caught sight of a small flicking light in the distance. "The house!" He had to roar over the storm's volume. "Head for the light!"

The going was slow. For nearly foot they gained, they lost almost half due to the mud and rain. Reaching the top of the hill, and being wet enough to grow mold, the drenched trio made their way to the front door.

The house was an odd affair. Save for a few flickering lights it was entirely blacked out. The door before them was large and hewn from what looked like solid oak. A heavy brass knocker was set in the center, nearly green from ill use. The stones on the front of the building were covered in moss and vines. Amira stepped forward and gripped the knocker. Pounding it against the aged wood brought no response.

The Creature, his inhuman body shivering along with the rest of them, brushed her aside and slammed his fist. The door nearly gave way in its frame. An audible moan seemed to escape from the very foundation. A small peephole opened in the wood, sending out a shaft of faint light, and Amira gasped. Two eyes stared at them; one was milky white and showed no reaction to the light source while the other was bloodshot. "Let us in!" The Creature moved to pound on the door again when a shrill voice called from somewhere inside.

"For God's sake Morgan, what is all this racket?" A younger man, dressed in nightclothes, replaced Morgan at the hole. "Who the devil are you?"

Amira stepped in front of the Creature. "Amira Steward, we sent a telegram about our visit?"

"Telegram? I haven't heard of any such nonsense!" The man slid the block back into place. Amira called out.

"Sir, please, there seems to have been a misunderstanding! Perhaps if you let us in, we could discuss this like rational people?"

The peephole opened again. The man's face was tightly drawn. He regarded them briefly before closing the hole. When Amira was about to knock again, the ancient door swung open. He cast a weary glance at them. "Well, come on then. You're letting the heat out."

Rushing inside, the man called Morgan slammed the door shut behind them, nearly knocking the Girl over. "Well, now that we're all nice and cozy, perhaps you'd three care to explain just why I was roused from a night's sleep?"

"As I said, my name is Amira Steward. We sent word about our visit. We were interested in studying the mariphasa, for possible treatments for mental instability."

The man coolly regarded them. "Perhaps, perhaps, but I arrived first and the plant is mine to research."

"And just who are you?" The Creature stepped forward. Morgan put himself between him and the man, but was gently pushed aside.

"My name is Glendon, and the plant is a vital key in my experiments."

"Like the botanist?" Amira raised an eyebrow. She vaguely recalled a man with a similar name, but she was sure he had died some time ago.

"Yes, and the owners of Femm House have been kind enough to allow me to do my research in peace. Thunder drowned at what he said next. Sighing in disgust, he tightened his robe. "Very well, I suppose you can stay the night. Morgan will see you to a room. Good night."

Following the towering manservant up the winding staircase, Amira glanced back at the man. He was nervously rubbing his face. He looked like he hadn't had a night's sleep in several days, and she suspected he hadn't; however, there was something familiar about him. She vowed to ask the Creature the first chance she could.

Once at the top of the stairs, Morgan led them down the almost pitch black hall towards the room. The only light came from the occasional flash of lighting. On the walls around them were portraits of the Femm family. Each figure was ghastly pale, with nearly all of them sporting deep blue eyes and fiery red hair. As they walked down the seemingly endless hall, Amira stopped for a second. Amid the thunder and lighting, she heard something else. A kind of high-pitched laughter was coming from somewhere.

Morgan stopped at the end. Striking a match, he lit a candle stuck in a holder and gestured towards the cavernous room. Amira went in first. Morgan placed the candle on a nearby end table and closed the door. "Wait!"

Morgan stopped, but his expression was hard. "Where are my friends sleeping?"

Morgan jerked a thumb to a doorway across the hall. "It's all right." The Creature nodded to her. Satisfied, she stepped away as the door closed.

Picking up the candle, she glanced over the room. A broken vanity took up one side of the room, while a dilapidated four-poster bed sat on the other side. A massive wardrobe was to the right of the vanity. Walking over to it, she couldn't but notice that of all the furnishings, the wardrobe was the only thing that looked clean. The wood almost shined in the faint light. Crystal doorknobs reflected the candle's flame in dozens of odd ways. When she tried to open it, she quickly found it was locked. Putting the candle down, she felt around the back, noting that the entire thing seemed to be a part of the wall. "Why would this be here?" There were no windows, nor any other means of exiting the room save for the single door. Picking the candle back up, she made her way to the bed. Overcome with exhaustion, she stripped off her damp clothes and draped them over the end table. Blowing out the candle, she became aware of a familiar odor in the room. "There's someone else in this house, someone I've met before!"

The next day

The three of them met out in the hall. After a sleepless night, Amira looked at the Girl and the Creature. Noticing the grim expression on the monster's face, Amira was quickly answered. "They took the van. I don't know where, but there is no trace of it anywhere. The nearest village is at least ten miles away in any direction, but the rivers have swollen."

"So we're trapped." The Girl mutely nodded. Morgan's shadow silenced them. Following the mute manservant down towards the main hall, the three were greeted by the sight of Glendon breakfasting with two other people.

At the end of the long table sat a man. His tight pinched face and thinning white hair severed to create a picture of textbook neurosis. He nervously dabbled at his mouth with his napkin.

Beside him sat an overweight woman. Her meaty jowls shook with displeasure as she stared at them. Her dark eyes pierced the surroundings from their fat enfolded caverns. She none too subtlety stabbed a sausage and carved it as the man winced.

"So, I see our slothful intruders have decided to grace us with their presence." The woman snapped.

The man was hysterically wiping his mouth, although any food had long since been removed. "Now, now Rebecca, these poor souls were simply waylaid by the storm."

"Bah, waylaid by their sins more than likely!" Rebecca turned her gaze onto the man, who seemed to grow smaller by the second. "I know more about the wicked ways of the world than you do Horace, never forget that."

"I see you're still here." Glendon changed the topic.

"Yes, it seems our method of transportation suffered more damage than we previously thought." Amira smiled politely.

"And the storms have made travel impossible." Glendon set his teacup down. "Morgan might be able to ride into town."

"Oh, that would be impossible!" Horace quickly blurted out. "I fear the storm must have terrified our only horse. The poor thing died of fright early this morning."

Glendon raised an eyebrow and Amira gauged his reaction. How much of a part did he play in this mystery? "Mr. Femm, I am deeply sorry to hear that, but these guests may prove a distraction to my work."

"We mean no offense. May we stay until the roads are cleared?" Amira sweetly smiled. Glendon put his napkin on the table and stood up.

"Excuse me, but my research can not wait while living arrangements are being argued." He stormed out of the room and down one of the many twisting hallways. Leaving their voices behind, he turned a corner and hugged the wall. "Spies?" He tried to calm himself as he inched over to a suit of armor standing in an alcove. Lowering the left hand, the suit slid on a dolly track. Ducking inside before the entrance was sealed, Glendon slipped off his dressing jacket.

A mocking feminine voice made him jump. "And how was our breakfast today?"

"Tolerable, but those guests! Are they guests, or it this your handiwork?" Glendon spat as he slipped a pair of goggles over his eyes.

"I can assure, I didn't invite them." The woman, he had to force himself to think of the creature before him as a woman, gave an infuriating smirk. "Really Will, all this time we've know each other and you still hold a grudge?"

"Yogami, I'd hold a grudge even if you hadn't damned me to this life." Glendon snarled as he brushed past the woman and into a larger room behind her.

"Now Will, I couldn't help it. After all, you made sure my own form was of no use to anyone." Glendon shuddered from the memory. "Not that I blame you, my turning you into a werewolf and all."

"Don't use that word!" Glendon found his voice shaky. "Werewolves are myths, pure flights of fancy. We're sick, diseased, and Heaven help me I will be cured!"

"And how do you explain this?" Yogami flexed her right arm. The flesh bulged as thick brown hair spread over it. Relaxing, her arm turned to normal. "Need I remind you that this woman, whoever she might have been, is only serving as the host to my great intellect due to you?"

"I wish I'd torn out your tongue instead of your throat." Glendon swore as he stepped behind a thick lead shield.

"Wouldn't have made any difference my boy. Of course, the fact that I can handle the moon now would put me at a singular advantage."

"Yes, yes, of course. Now go over to the nursery and check on the plants."

"Of course." Yogami walked into the darkened room. Before her was the prize, a cumulative effort between the pair. Dozens of the pale white flower sat in a nursery bed. Above, and the reason for Glendon's fear, was the moonlight projector.

A device Yogami had developed and patented some years before. Using a sunlamp as a model, the device had been altered to shine light that had the same properties as moonlight. It was only under moonlight that the mariphasa could grow. Both scientists had noticed an unusual occurrence with the latest batch. The flower traditionally only bloomed a few days out of each month, as only the full moon was capable of providing the needed light.

With the plants in full bloom almost twenty-four hours a day, Glendon was the first to notice the plant taking on odd properties. Radioing into the dark room, his voice was close to breaking. "Tell me, tell me, what are they like?"

Yogami's voice was calm and even. "It is as you feared. We've been stimulating the flowers too much." Holding up a particularly gnarled vine, she snipped off a few buds. "The plants are exhibiting strange new tendencies. Are you sure we should proceed?"

"Yes, any longer and we may not have the time!"

Exiting the lab, and making sure the lead lined door was shut before Glendon stepped out from behind the shield, Yogami quickly handed the rapidly decaying flowers to him. Glendon moved with a timed precision. Grinding the petals into a fine powder, he quickly mixed the remains into a test tube set over a burner. When the mixture turned a solid black, he carefully took the tube away and readied a syringe. Flipping a tape recorder on, he rolled up his sleeve. "Experimental batch #19."

Rubbing his forearm with alcohol, he quickly injected the chemical mixture into his veins. Dropping the needle, he staggered back from the table. "Did it work?"

Rubbing his eyes, Glendon shook his head. "I feel different than the other tests." Unbuttoning his collar, he leaned against the table. "Open the lab door. If I'm cured, we'll know."

Yogami nodded and opened the door. Artificial moonlight spilled out into the room. Glendon stood perfectly still in the pale light. Yogami picked up a watch from a nearby shelf. "Thirty seconds and holding!"

Glendon opened his eyes. "It's working!" He suddenly screamed as sharp pains forced him to his knees. "No, no blast it!" His hands began to form into claws. "Shut the door!" His voice was growing deeper as Yogami quickly shoved the heavy lead door back into its place.

As she turned around, she suddenly found Glendon's hairy paw around her throat. His face was rapidly changing into a wolf's snout. His eyes were bloodshot and filled with hate. She couldn't tell if it were the wolf looking at her or Glendon himself. Spots swam in her eyes. "Sorry my boy, but I'm afraid I'm going to take a hand in this." She gritted her teeth, as her breathing grew hard. Then, in an instant, the pressure gave way. Her neck swelled outward, breaking the wolf's hold. Her arms dropped down and elongated, gaining mass and muscle. With one swift blow, she slammed her ham-sized fists into the wolf's side, causing him to stagger back.

Unleashing a right cross, she knocked the wolf back to the other side of the lab. He hit the wall and collapsed into a heap. As she slowly changed back to normal, Glendon slowly sat up as blood pouring from his busted lip. "It failed, didn't it?"

"That, my boy, is an understatement." She sighed as she scooped up the remains of her dress. "This lab is a disaster area. Have Morgan clean it up before tonight."

A

Talking to Rebecca and Horace Femm was not the most unpleasant experience of her life, but Amira had to admit it was certainly climbing up the list. Horace's every action and gesture brought forth a scolding reprimand from Rebecca. Once breakfast, which consisted of nothing but pickled fish, pickled eggs, and water, was finished, the two siblings retired to separate portions of the house.

Amira stopped, as she was aware of the same scent she smelled the previous night. Lowering her voice, she leaned in close to the Creature and the Girl. "There is someone else in this house, someone familiar."

"Do you know?"

"No, but it seems to grow stronger at certain points. You stay with Horace, I'll see to Rebecca. Find out what they know."

"There is something going on here, I can feel it."

C

The Creature and the Girl found Horace sitting in a darkened room on the South side of the house. Following a trail of spilled wax, they went down twisting hallways and up crooked stairs before finding an open door. Inside, Horace was perched on a slender chair, his knees drawn close and a large book balanced on his lap.

"Oh!" He almost screamed when he saw them. Tipping back, he fell with a crash. Trying to recover his dignity, he hastily stood up. "Can I help you?"

"Yes." The Creature knew he had an effect on people. He also knew he could be very effective when it came to getting information. "Word was sent of our arrival."

"No, no it wasn't!" Horace pleaded. His eyes darted around. "I swear no message was received!" Inching closer to the wall, his lower lip quivered. "Why won't you leave?"

"We would be happy to depart, but there doesn't seem to be anyway out." The Creature moved closer. "What are you hiding?"

A blood-curdling chill echoed throughout the room. The Creature quickly grabbed Horace's shirt. "What was that?"

"He's awake!" Horace hysterically thrashed in the Creature's grasp. "You fools, he's awake!"

A

Amira followed Rebecca up the main stairs. Continuing past the second floor, they walked up towards the top of the house in silence. When they were nearing the attic, Rebecca stooped. Half-shrouded in shadow, she turned and glared at Amira. "So, you think your wickedness is hidden, do you?"

"I don't know what you mean." Amira felt a prickling down her neck. The way the heavyset woman stared at her…

"You know exactly what I mean. You wear the Devil's mark as plan as that harlot's skin." She moved forward and roughly pawed the front of Amira's blouse. "Fine material, but it will rot." Flicking her stubby fingers against her check, the older woman grinned. "Finer still, but that will rot too." Stepping back, she produced a match from a fold in her apron and lit a nearby lantern. "Sir Roderick would know what to do with you!"

"And who is that?" Amira felt her nerves going wild. There was something wrong here, something very wrong.

"Sir Roderick, and his sons, built this house. We Femms are a proud people. I can trace my lineage all the way to the first Roderick, who stood side by side with King Alfred. He carved the very foundation of this house." Holding the lantern up, Amira saw portraits of men and woman adorning the walls. "This house was meant to be a sanctuary from the evils of the world. Before there was even a London, this house stood tall against the wickedness and sins of the flesh!"

"Fascinating, truly, but tell me" before Amria could ask further, a mad howl came from the upper attic. Rebecca paled and hurried up the stairs. "What was that?"

"You foolish strumpet, Saul is awake!" Hooking the lantern on a nearby peg, she pulled down a set of stairs from the ceiling and quickly moved up them at a speed that belayed her size.

Amira moved closer to the opening. Listening, the sound of a man's high-pitched screams made her shiver. "The fire! The fire shall cleanse all!" Saul was giggling.

"Yes brother, but not yet! Father isn't up yet, and you know we can't start without him. He'll be ever so crossed."

"Hang them all! I've been waiting too long!" The giggling grew into a mad sobbing. "Why can't I leave? I want to see the sun."

"I told you, it's not safe outside yet."

"I don't care! I want to see! I want to see!" The sound tearing flesh and wet dropping sounds nearly made Amira gag. Rebecca descended the stairs.

"What was" Amira smelled the familiar scent again. Turning around, she gasped. "You!"

Yogami and Morgan were at her back. "You know me?" Yogami seemed more amused than anything else. "What a small world. Pity."

A light creaking of the steps and a swift crack later, Amira saw the musty carpet rush toward her. Rebecca pocketed the blackjack. "I warned you about this. Take care of her. We'll need her ready by moonrise."

C

The Creature held the squirming Horace by his collar. "Who was making that noise?"

"My brother Saul!" Horace was nearly catatonic. "He's awake, he should never be awake." He muttered to himself, his eyes vacant and unfocused. Dropping him, the Creature steeped out into the hall.

"This house, the feel is all wrong." Turning to the Girl, he pointed to the gibbering form of Horace. "Watch him." Breaking into a run, the Creature raced towards the sounds of the screaming.

G

The Girl turned around, but to her puzzlement, Horace had vanished. The only other fixture in the room was a large box nestled firmly against the wall. Walking to it and flipping the lid open, she was surprised to see nothing. Reaching down, she felt along the sanded wood interior until her fingers brushed a small knob. Pressing it, she gasped as the bottom spilt open. Leaning forward, she dropped down into the dark.

C

The Creature turned corner after corner, quickly becoming lost within the confines of the house. Each hallway seemed exactly alike with every door leading to a room furnished exactly the same way. "Where is everyone?" His frustration mounting, the inhuman being angrily slammed his fist into a wall, crushing it with no effort. Not seeing any other option, the Creature began to punch his way through the walls before him.

G

The Girl slowly felt her way in the darkness. The walls felt smooth but there was nothing to indicate where Horace Femm had gone. Walking with one hand on the wall, she stopped, as she smelled fresh air coming from her right. "A way out?"

Turning right, she froze as she spied a small shaft of light off in the distance. Moving slowly, she felt the floor shift and give way under her feet. She silently fell into the inky darkness.

A

Amira slowly came back to waking world. She was on her back, tied to a gurney. Her wrists and ankles were chained. A large lamp was over her heard, nearly blinding her. "Where am I?"

"Awake, are we?" Glendon suddenly loomed over her. "I apologize for the inconvenience, but I am afraid some measures had to be taken."

"Who are you?"

Glendon sighed. "I suppose form dictates that I revel the truth to you." Wheeling her to the center of the room he continued. "My name is Wilfred Glendon, and I was at one time a happy man. I was a botanist by trade and hobby. My wife and I spent years cultivating rare plants. Some time ago, during a research venture to the wilds of Asia, I was bitten by what I thought was a strange species of wolf."

Amira paled. "You mean…"

Glendon's face darkened. "Then to my horror I met the man responsible for my torment. Doctor Yogami," He spat the name out. "He was the wolf."

The details of the case came back to her. "The police report said you went mad."

"Yes, I attacked Yogami and wrung his fat neck. As for my wife, I was about to murder her when the police entered my home and shot me."

"But you didn't die."

"No. It seems the London Police are not issued silver bullets. I didn't know this until I was on the medical slab."

"I believe I can continue the story from here." Yogami entered the lab.

"You!" Amira struggled against her bonds, a sight that sent Yogami into a laughing fit.

"As my associate was saying, I found him in the morgue. My proposal was simple and we left England to search for a possible cure. During our travels at sea, I fear I suffered am accident," her eyes narrowed in Glendon's direction, "and I was bedridden for some time. We creatures can heal from almost anything, true, but my injuries were so severe that my recovery would have taken valuable months."

Yogami flexed her fist, marveling as it swelled with muscle. "And much to our shock, we found a body floating in the ocean. The young woman was little more than a lunatic, but Wilfred and I were most impressed at how she managed to shift from a human to a gorilla. At first we assumed she had been a victim like us, but she suffered no ill effects from silver or the full moon."

"Then how-"

"A small trick I learned from a hypnotist in Sweden. Transferring my mind was a fairly simple matter. While my body heals, I can move freely in this one." Stretching her hand, she closed her eyes as the muscles shrank and the hair receded. "Now, it seems that you know this form. May I ask where?"

Amira gave a highly condensed retelling of Paula's life. Yogami and Glendon both raised eyebrows over the story. "Fascinating!"

"Indeed. If we were not who we were, I would scarcely believe it." Yogami agreed.

Amira glanced around. "What are you going to do with me and my friends?"

Glendon glanced down, but Yogami held her gaze. "The Femm family was quite receiving of us and our work. It seems their patriarch has fallen ill. The curative powers of a werewolf would be a blessing, but not the side effects."

"For Heaven's sake man, must we reveal our every move?" Glendon seemed shaken.

"I was simply sating her curiosity. I would feel great guilt if she were left unanswered." Yogami slinked away.

"You mean to cure me?" Amira was hopeful, but she knew the chains could hold nothing good.

"Yes and no, in a sense." Glendon admitted as he stepped behind a lead wall.

"What my colleague means is that any cure will be given to someone else. Even if you survive the experience, which I doubt, we have other uses for you."

"You monster!" Amira thrashed about as she was wheeled into a small room. Yogami stood over her with a needle at the ready.

"It's for science my dear. Try to die with dignity." Yogami gripped her arm with surprising strength. Quickly swabbing it with alcohol, she jabbed Amira with the mixture and stepped back. "Throw the switch!"

In front of her, the wall slid away. The heavy door swung shut, sending the room into total darkness. "What's going on? I feel dizzy."

Yogami shushed her. In the darkness, when her eyes adjusted to the change, Amira spied a large lamp. In an instant the light flickered on, bathing the room is an eerie light. "No!"

"Quiet" Yogami held her breath as Amira thrashed under the artificial moonlight. As the woman's muscles swelled and clothes ripped, Yogami briefly flashed back. "It's been so long. Was it really like that?" Focusing on the attention at hand, she swore Amira's shifting form threatened to break the chains. "Work, blast you!"

As Amira's jaw broke and reshaped, the transformation began to reverse itself. Like watching a nickelodeon, the bones reset, the fur vanished, and the claws slinked away. Amira hung limply from the gurney. "Success!"

G

The Girl had hit something. She was unharmed, but the strange substance that broke her fall bothered her. It smelled fairly foul yet sweet, but she had no recollection of it. The odors, the texture, all were alien to her.

Slogging her way through it, she ran into a wall. Groping blindly, she continued on her path. A mad giggling coming from somewhere up ahead made her stop. "Burn the sinners, burn the evil out!" The voice laughed.

Hearing a splashing noise, the Girl pressed against the wall as the noise grew louder. "Show them all, father will be angry, oh yes, he will be angry!" The splashing stopped. The Girl balled her hands into fists as the figure struck a match. "Who's there?"

In the dim light, the Girl saw a gaunt man standing knee deep in the liquid. His face was lean and covered with a long unkempt beard. "Who's there?"

"Brother, you know what I warned about." Rebecca's voice echoed from somewhere above. "Father said you were to never leave your room."

"Sister, please!" Saul, if he saw the Girl, paid her no mind.

"You think me unaware of my own home? I walked every inch, every blessed inch, while you and father brought sin and ruin into this house."

Saul blew the match out. "Sister, please, I just missed-"

"What, your precious fire? You know why you were locked away Saul."

"But I'm better now!"

"You've sinned against father Saul, and you have to suffer." The unmistakable sound of a flare being ignited followed Rebecca's prayer. A small light appeared high above the Girl. As the flare dropped, the Girl suddenly saw what she was standing in: blood and oil.

A

Amira slowly woke. Her mouth felt like a beach at low tide. "What happened?"

Glendon unlocked her chains. "My partner has decided to share the fruits of our labor against my better judgment." He stepped back as Amira slid to the floor. "I've decided to end my research." He pointed to a locked strongbox. "Those are my notes and some seeds. After tonight, I doubt I'll have any more use for them."

Leaving her on the floor, Glendon walked over to a small cabinet. "The box is fireproof and locked. I have the key hidden in a compartment in the bottom. Along with the notes is a letter to my wife. If you can, please see that she gets it."

"Wait, what," Amira's voice was weak. What had happened to her?

Unlocking the cabinet, Glendon took out a pistol. "I've kept this hidden from Yogami. I often dreamed of using it on him, but now I'm not so sure it would work. There are two bullets left, in case you run out of time."

Amira tried to stand on her feet, she saw Glendon raise the gun to his temple and pull the trigger. His head jerked with the impact and he dropped like a sack. She felt sick to her stomach and her limbs refused to respond. A sudden horror dawned on her as her limbs began to twitch on their own accord.

"The full moon!"

Y

Yogami steadied her hand. Ever since he had transferred his mind into the female's body, she had to force herself to calm down during the moon's rise. "Even if the cure works, I may just keep this form."

Morgan appeared out of the shadows with Rebecca and Horace. Before the mute was the decrepit form Sir Roderick Femm stuck tightly in a wheelchair. "Is it ready?" Rebecca sniffed.

"Yes Madam, the serum is a total success."

"Then let us not waste anymore time."

Morgan wheeled the old man into the center of the room. Retreating to the side, he began to work with a series of levers and wheels. From somewhere down below a large metal coffin was raised. "Take what is needed!"

Yogami and Morgan approached the coffin. As they grew closer, Yogami couldn't help but hear the bestial growls coming from inside. "Did I really sound like that? Perhaps I'll have it stuffed once this is over." Yogami snapped out of her trance. Her resolve strengthened, she nodded to Morgan. Taking another needle out of her pocket, she gripped it tightly as Morgan stuck a pole into a gap.

A scabbed limb popped free of the container and flailed around. Morgan dropped the pole and gripped the limb with both hands. Yogamu rushed forward. With delicate precision, the needle was inserted and the blood drawn out.

Morgan broke the limb and shoved it back into the box. "Are you finished?" Horace was nearly white from fright.

"Yes, yes." Yogami approached the withered form of Sir Roderick. Strapping the old man into the chair, she nodded to Morgan. Blinds were opened, bathing the room in moonlight. Finding a vein, she quickly injected the blood of her former body into the man's veins.

The reaction was instant. The man thrashed and screamed as ancient form suddenly began to show signs of vitality. Muscles swelled as atrophied limbs began to move on their own for the first time in years. Horace reacted with horror. "It's too much, stop it stop it!"

"No!" Rebecca roared with fury. "The Femm name shall live again this night! Our father must be restored!"

As fur began to spread over the man's frame, Yogami quickly injected the cure into the other arm. Roderick stopped thrashing about at once. His head drooped and a thick line of spit drizzled out of his mouth. Rebecca marched towards him, her face beaming with pride.

"Father?"

As the aged patriarch raised his head, hell was unleashed within the confines of the room. The coffin's lid suddenly flipped open, freeing Yogami's old body, already changing. The only door to the outside was snapped from its hinges as another werewolf bounded into the room. One of the walls collapsed as the Creature burst through the ancient mortar and brick. Below them, the Girl punched her way through the floorboards, a charred corpse on her back. Yogami decided that a tactical retreat would be in order.

A

The wolf was angry. Granted, this was more or less the default mood for the animal, but there was something about the assembled humans before her that made her blood scream in her veins. Snarling, she bared her teeth and pounced.

C

The Creature took in the hellish scene. The Girl scrambled out of the hole as flames licked at her heels. Dropping the body back into the inferno, the Girl darted over to him. "What's going on?"

R

Roderick Femm was, and had always been, a cruel man. Seeped in family tradition and raised to be a ruler, Roderick had been a fearful figure in his prime. His body, long since withered away, was beginning to feel strange to him. "What's going on?" His voice was raspy. "Who are you people?" His mind swam with the new and familiar sensory information. The light of the moon burned his eyes. His nose and mouth seemed to be working as one as he tasted fire and burning wood.

Standing up, his knees screamed in protest as he staggered towards his children. Rebecca rushed towards him. As he reached towards his daughter, a strange impulse came over him. His mind seemed to grow cloudy, like he was forgetting something. His hands and feet itched terribly, worse then he could ever remember. Blinking ("blasted smoke"), he suddenly felt something wet on his chest. Looking down, he gasped as dark liquid, ("why is everything black and white?") splashed down his shirt. Easily removing the garment, he stepped over Rebecca.

The sight of Horace set off a horrible rage. He could never stand the boy - useless and weak. The sight of the grown man cowering before him sparked off a furious scream inside of him. Howling, he leapt upon the younger man and began to punch and claw at the whimpering form.

Y

Yogami inched her way towards the door as the room filled with flames and smoke. Shifting into her other form, and forgoing modesty as her dress easily shred under the pressure, she easily leapt over the transformed Roderick and knocked the two strangers aside. As she was reaching for the door, something leapt onto her back.

Struggling, Yogami slammed into the wall in effort to dislodge the attacker. "You!" She mentally screamed at herself as her hideously burned former body lurched to his feet. Feeling a strange tickle down her neck, Yogami felt around and found her fur slick with blood. "You bit me! I'm infected, again!" The horror of it all made Yogami snap. Rushing forward, the maddened gorilla wrapped her paws around the thrashing werewolf and squeezed.

Paula countered by clawing at her former body's eyes. Yogami bellowed in pain and rage as her face was gouged. Her hold never lessened as she stumbled backwards towards the open flame. The floor, already taxed beyond its limits, gave way.

A

The wolf saw the male attacking the humans. She felt no sympathy for them, but there was something about the male that made the wolf angry. As the male's back was turned, the wolf jumped and landed on the male's back. Savagely biting down, she knew she would only have seconds to act. The male's neck was unguarded. Clamping her jaws down, she bit and tore into the gray fur and flesh.

The male tried to throw her off, but her claws found stable holds in his flesh. One quick tear and the male dropped to the floor dead. Rolling free, the wolf noticed the other two humans running towards the exit. Snarling, she followed suit as the rest of the floor gave way.

C

The Creature and the Girl fled towards the relative safety of the stairs. A fist swung out from the dark and caught the Creature on the jaw. Knocked back, he blinked as Morgan stepped into the light. Crazed and smoking rising from his dark coat, the butler stared at them with nothing but hate in his one working eye.

"Out of the way!" The Creature rose. Morgan swung a poker at his legs, striking him hard enough to bend the wrought iron. The Girl pushed forward as he raised the poker again. Catching his arm, she flipped the mad manservant over. Seeing the wolf charging down the hall, she quickly picked up the poker and followed the Creature down the stairs.

Giving one last look before descending the stairs, the Girl grimly nodded as the wolf pounced on Morgan's prone form. The manservant put up a struggle. His thick hands found their way around the wolf's neck, but his strength was already ebbing.

The wolf howled with bloody triumph. The Girl took that as a sign to take the steps five at a time. The flame spilled out into hall and quickly spread to the ceiling.

C

Rushing down the main stairs, the Creature and the Girl were overcome by the smoke. The ancient house was ablaze. The dust cloth covered furniture was the perfect kindling. "Hurry!" The Creature coughed. Kicking away part of the banister, the Girl hopped onto his back as he jumped from the landing towards the chandelier. The wooden fixture held their weight. Using the momentum from the swing, the Creature aimed himself at the closest window.

Breaking through, and ignoring the glass, the Creature rolled to his feet as they landed on the roof. By now the fire has consumed the foundation. The rear portion of the house had already caved in, sending billowing black smoke and red light high into the night sky.

The Girl climbed off of his back and darted towards the gutters. Gesturing wildly, she climbed down and slid down the spout towards the ground. Landing, she moved away as the Creature followed her example.

Unlike her, the Creature was considerably heavier, a fact that dawned on him as the aged and rusted spout crumbled in his grip. The supports, having been roughly jolted from their anchors, gave way utterly under his mass. Freefalling, he landed roughly in the mud as part of the wall collapsed.

The Girl rushed forward, but he waved her away. "Move!" He fought against the sucking mud and filth as he tore himself out of the muck and lumbering away. The house continued to burn.

The full moon, breaking through the thick smoke and cloud, shone through what was once the main foray. Its countenance was bloody red and it cast a hellish light upon the scene. Fissures began to form at the base and the surrounding hillside. The wind picked up, forcing the Creature and the Girl to move even further back. The gale was deafening and served to fuel the flames even more. The house, that had overlooked the surrounding countryside for ages, was being torn apart. Screaming, like a thousand damned souls, was carried high and far as the hill collapsed, sending the house tumbling over the side and into the valley below. The fire, that had raged so wildly before, went out almost at once as the hill rolled over the remains.

A

The sunlight brought light but little warmth. The Creature and the Girl stood where the front door used to be; below was all that remained of the Femm House. The Girl touched the Creature's arm, her eyes wide. He took her hand in his and looked at her. "I don't know."

Hearing shifting rubble, they looked down the hill. A section of a wall collapsed. A burned but living Amira collapsed into the ruins. The Creature and the Girl raced down the hill.

Reaching her, the Girl carefully picked her up. Amira was burned, her arms and legs red and black in a few spots. "Is it morning?" Her voice was raspy. Pointing to a small blob several yards away, she coughed. "Get the box!"

"Are you alright?" The Creature took her from the Girl's arms. The Girl bent down and picked up the box. A quick glance showed little damage to the outside.

Amira ignored him. "The box has the seeds, a possible cure!" Her voice was trailing off. "Can't open until nightfall, note." Her eyes were unfocused.

The Creature nodded to the Girl. She snagged the fluttering remains of some curtains and helped cover Amira. Walking back towards the road, Amira slipped into unconsciousness in the Creature's arms. Behind them, the smoldering remains of Femm House lay quietly within the valley. The area seemed at peace as they climbed the hill and made their way back down towards the road. Before them was the open road.

The end

Based on the following films

**The Old Dark House** (1932) dir. James Whale, Universal Studios

**The Jungle Captive** (1945) dir. Harold Young, Universal Studios

**Werewolf of London** (1935) dir. Stuart Walker, Universal Studios

This is intended as a sequel to my other Screaming Dead stories. All rights reserved for the various copyright holders. No infringement or profit is intended.


	6. The Beast Must Kill!

The Beast Must Kill!

October 19, 1936

The moon broke through the clouds like an irate parent catching a disobedient child. On the outskirts of Llanwelly, a wolf howled. A young woman ran through the thick undergrowth, her breath coming in ragged jags. The first two factors spurred Jenny on; she had slipped away from her friends to visit an old gypsy living deep within the woods. She heard the old woman was a fortuneteller.

At the present, she didn't care if she never saw another palm reader as long as she lived. She had gotten turned around in the deep woods and quickly lost her way. That was when she first heard the wolf.

She couldn't see the animal, but she heard it stalking through the bush. When she slowed, she felt the hot breath of the beast at her heels. She ran deeper, losing all sense of direction. The animal was getting closer; she could feel it.

She caught a glint in the moonlight. Turning to face down the devil, she failed to see a large root in her path. Tripping, she smashed her head against a rock. Dazed, she tried to stand up, but the beast jumped upon her back. She screamed, but razor sharp fangs clamped down on her throat. Within seconds, Jenny was dead.

Her body would not be found until two days later.

Amira had to struggle not to laugh. Before her was the Creature, a composite being stitched together from bodies taken from the grave, quietly sitting at the table and eating a simple breakfast of eggs and toast. A folded newspaper was at his side. The Girl, as Amira often called her for she had no other name, sat beside him dinning quietly. The whole scene looked so utterly typical that one could forget that the subjects were both creatures born in a lab from parts stolen from the dead.

Amira could not bring herself to comment on the oddity of the scene, what with her being cursed to become a werewolf every full moon. Trying to change the subject, she directed her sights on the paper. "Anything interesting?"

"A murdered woman, found a mile from a small town in Wales has the local authorities in an uproar." He summarized the article. "The body of a local shop girl was found in the woods earlier in the week, having shown signs of being savaged by some wild animal. This marks the third victim found this month." He pushed the paper away. "It goes on, but the general theory seems to be that is the result of a wild animal."

Amira picked up the paper and looked over the photos of the crime scene. They were blurry and focused more on the panicked people milling around, but one detail stood out to her. In her shock, she nearly dropped the paper. "Grandmother!"

The trip had been quick. Amira explained on the ride over. In the photo, blurry and badly out of focus, was a woman she was willing to swear was her grandmother."I thought she died when the wolf attacked us. Why would she not check after me?"

Neither the Creature nor the Girl could answer. They knew with the moons' rising within the week they had little time. Amira had called ahead and secured them rooms at the local inn, making sure to keep certain details secret.

They arrived at dusk. The entire town was assembled in the square. An elderly man, his frame bent with age, stood on a jury-rigged platform made of barrels and crates. "Listen to me!" He pleaded with the crowd. Amria hanged back as the angry mob shouted.

Sir John tapped his silver headed cane on the barrel and demanded silence. "Listen to me, please! This is not the time to go running into the woods like a disorganized mob!"

A middle-aged woman spat at his feet. "Feh! Shows what you know! You Talbots haven't lost anyone to them monsters!"

"Monsters? Hardly; it was likely those blasted gypsies." A portly man with small glasses shouted. "Every fall they stroll through here, thieving and the like from us, and what do you?" He ignored Sir John's answer and stamped his feet. "Nothing, that's what!"

Amira caught sight of a familiar face darting away from the crowd. "Bela?" she ran after the figure. Seeing the Creature and the Girl were checking into the inn over her shoulder, she pressed on, darting past the villagers and through the winding streets. "Wait!"

The figure seemed panicked by her voice and pressed on. Amira had to jog to keep him in her sights. Rounding a corner, she saw the figure trip over a pile of discarded bottles and land in a puddle. Racing over to the fallen man, she gasped as she helped him up.

She had been correct. The figure laying in the rainwater and mud was her cousin, Bela. Time had changed him so much in the past year. Strong arms were now withered, ebony hair was now thinning and gray; where his face had been filled with passion there was now only jowly regret. He shook her hand free and stumbled to his feet. "Leave me alone, I stole nothing from you!"

"Wait!" She clasped his arm. "Don't you recognize me?"

Bela froze. He peered into her eyes. He almost jumped back when he recognized her face. "Amira? Child, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same cousin. Where is grandmother?"

"At camp, just outside the city." His entire demeanor changed. "Ah, cousin, it is good to see you in such a strange land. Come, we will talk about old times and new, eh?" Amira nodded, though she felt oddly uneasy about leaving her friends.

~G

Jack Griffin swore and broke another test tube. "Useless, like all the others!" The small lab, nestled deep within the woods near the Talbot estate, was a tangle of beakers, vials, and other bits of scientific equipment. Griffin tore off his goggles and looked into the mirror.

Two empty holes stared back at him. Some months before, he had been little more than a common chemist. While performing an experiment, he had discovered a small article in the back of forgotten journal, detailing a series of experiments on a dog using a new chemical drug called 'monocaine'. The drug turned the dog stark white before killing it.

Griffin saw the experiment differently. Gathering the necessary ingredients, he replicated the experiment but he altered the dosage. His test subject turned not white but rather invisible to the human eye.

The only flaw was that he was the test subject. He gathered his equipment and fled, hoping to find the process that would reverse his condition. Every town he stopped he met the same, failure and prying locals. It had taken the last of his funds, but he managed to rent a small cottage where he could work uninterrupted.

It was almost a totally freak occurrence that set him upon his next chain of experiments. He had heard, from another scientist in passing, on how an experiment to render a subject invisible could be reversed by the addition of blood into the subject's system. Griffin tried it with a stolen quart from the local doctor.

His veins and muscles were visible, but not the rest of him. Since that time, Griffin had become obsessed with blood. A simple transfusion of a large amount could render his visible for a few hours, but his need for larger quantities grew. His latest donor was the girl Jenny. He angrily smashed the table and stomped off to the corner. "Blasted fools, why must everything go wrong?" Griffin slipped his goggles back over his eyes. His landlord's son had returned from America and had been making too many inquiries about the nature of his work. Griffin picked up a small vice filled with jagged metal points. "If that oaf wishes to continue prying into my affairs, then I think it is time for him to encounter a small accident in the woods." Griffin laughed to himself as he put the deadly tool away.

Amira and Bela walked deeper into the woods. "Cousin, tell me, what happened to you?" her memories contrasted with the man before her. In her youth, Bela had been a roaring giant; strapping and bold, he could easily outwrestle a man twice his size. The pitiful shell in front of her seemed to grow weaker in the daylight.

"It…is a long story cousin. Mother might be able to explain better than I." They walked in silence until they came to a small clearing. Amira gasped at the sight of an old woman tending a fire.

"Grandmother!"

Maleva looked up from her cooking. "Amira?" She dropped her spoon. Moving as fast as her aged body could muster, the old woman rushed towards her granddaughter. The pair embraced, and quickly spoke, often over each other.

Finally, the elder held up her hand. "Wait, let us continue this elsewhere. Bela, see to the fire and food." They made their way into her caravan. Once the door was locked and the curtain drawn, Maleva turned to her errant granddaughter. "So, I see you live."

"Yes, but I could say the same for you."

Maleva sat down. "You wonder, no doubt, as to why no one searched for you?"

"After the wolf attacked me, I assumed because everyone thought I was dead."

She sighed. "As did I." She ran her hands together and sat silently for several minutes. "Amira, the truth is, I ordered our clan not to look for you. Not because I thought you were dead, but because of Bela."

"Bela? What does he have to do with this?"

There was an odd humor in the older woman's eyes. "You can't sense it? Bela is the werewolf that attacked you child."

"What?"

The old woman continued, ignoring Amira's outburst. "I'm not sure when it happened, but one night my son changed into a wolf. I suppose I should have done more, but a mother's love can be strong. I would bind him during the times, but that night he somehow escaped the cave. His attacking us was purely by accident."

Amira's hands were shaking. "All that time, you never told us why we have to be on the move during the moon? All that time, you never told us where Bela disappeared to or why we were blamed for…those attacks?" Memories of animal disappearances came rushing back to her. "It was all your fault!"

Maleva looked more hurt than angry. "Child, I'm sorry, but Bela is my son. What was I supposed to do?"

"Anything!" Amira screamed. "Because of you, I've been through hell!"

"Bela's suffering was equal. Do you think I didn't care about the crimes he committed? If I tried to take him for help, he would have been destroyed."

Amira lurched to her feet. Cold fury blazing in her eyes, she stormed outside. Bela sat by himself, shuffling a deck of cards. He looked up in time to see Amira's fist connect with his jaw. "You! It was you the whole time!"

A crowd gathered. "Cousin, please!" Bela weakly raised his hands. Amira stood over him, the rage blazing in her eyes.

Without a word, she walked off towards town. Maleva gazed sadly after her granddaughter. "An ill omen if I ever saw one…"

"So, your cousin was the wolf that bit you?" The Creature mulled over the facts.

"Yes." Amira had made her way back to the inn and told her story. She downed another cup of tea. "Apparently, he had been one for years and it was never mentioned."

"What about the cure? We still have several buds left."

Amira put her cup down. "I…don't know. We only have so many."

"You feel like he deserves it?" The Girl held up a note.

Amira sighed. "Yes. Heaven help me, I want him to suffer for what he put me through."

"I know the feeling." The Creature stood up and gazed about the room. "It led me down a dark path. I won't presume to judge, but I do want you to reconsider. The moon is going to be rising in a few days, and the village doesn't need two werewolves."

That night, all the stress of the recent days seemed to have vanished. On the Talbot family estate almost the entire village was gathered. There was music, beer, and dancing. Some of the villagers had even pooled their money and set up various games of chance.

At a shooting gallery, Lawrence Talbot smiled as he hit his fifth bulls-eye and added another prize to his growing pile. "Perhaps the young master would prefer to let someone else try their luck?" The booth owner scowled as he handed over another stuffed bear to the younger man's pile.

"Come on Larry, I think we've taken enough of the man's stock." Gwen Conliff none too gently tugged at Larry's elbow.

"Alright, perhaps a brisk walk then?" he handed the stuffed animals out to a crowd of village children. As he gathered his belongings, his father's voice interrupted him.

"Lawrence, a word please?" Sir John Talbot rapped his silver headed cane against the ground.

"Excuse me Gwen, won't be a minute." Larry turned to face his father. At a glance, one would be hard pressed to think the two men were related. Sir John had the air of an academic, of a man who spent most of his time indoors and buried in books.

Lawrence Talbot was the exact opposite. Large, with barrel chest and thick muscles built from years of hard labor, and skin deepened from travels to exotic ports of call, Larry towered over his father. Sir John motioned to a quiet alleyway between two tents. Once alone, Larry saw his father glower at him. "Well Lawrence, mingling with the hired help again?"

Larry bristled at his father's words. "Gwen is a good woman father. Just because she works in the village…"

"You're a Talbot, and it's high time you acted like one." Knocking Larry's walking stick to the ground, Sir John thrust his silver tipped cane into Larry's rougher hands. "If you are going to gad about like some commoner, you can at least look somewhat respectable!"

"Thank you father, I'll keep that in mind." Ignoring his father's parting words, he headed out towards the woods, Gwen in tow.

"I wish you wouldn't fight with your father so much." Gwen chided as they moved closer into the woods.

"I wish he wasn't such a stubborn old foe. He couldn't have cared a whit for me until my brother died, then he needs me."

Gwen said nothing. The death of Larry's older brother, and the heir apparent to the Talbot estate had been a sore point between father and son. Looking around at the surrounding woods, Gwen felt a shiver. "Larry, can't we go back to the festival?"

"Hmm?" The realization of what she was asking dawned on him. "Of course! Forgive me, I didn't mean to drag you out here."

A tree branch snapping made them both jump. "Did you hear that?" Gwen nodded, face pale.

The sound of matted feet made Larry spin around, the silver headed cane at the ready. He couldn't see anything, but years of living in the American West made him use to fighting in the dark. "Gwen, when I move, go back to the party and get help."

"I can't leave you!" Gwen clutched his arm, but he shrugged her away.

"Go!" He lunged for the underbrush as Gwen bolted back towards the safety of the lights.

Griffin couldn't but smile. Smile? He had to bite his lips to keep from laughing. With specially made pads on his feet and hands, and prowling through the brush, he stalkedd the two from the festival. When he saw who they were, he had to keep from shouting with delight.

"One swoop and I rid myself of that oafish twit forever!" He was disappointed when the girl raced to get help. The villagers would be closing in within minutes. He had to act quickly.

Larry held the cane in front of him like a club. "Come on you ugly thing!" He hissed. Charging forward, thinking a wolf may not attack a charging victim Larry tore through the underbrush and found nothing. "Where is it?"

In the feint moonlight, he saw tracks, but no animal. "Like it disappeared, but where?"

"Here you bumbling buffoon!" A harsh voice rang out beside him. Larry turned in time to feel something sharp and pointed bit down on his forearm. Much to his horror, he couldn't see what was biting him.

Stumbling backwards, Larry swung his cane in a wide arch. Shocked, he heard the metal tip connect with something in front of him. He could see nothing, but he heard ragged breathing. "You'll pay for that!"

"Who's there?" Larry tried to see his attacker, thinking the man was wearing black, but even with his keen eyes he could detect nothing.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" The voice came from behind. A tree branch crashed against his head, knocking him down. He felt something slice through his coat.

The frenzied voices of the villagers made Griffin stop. "I'll be back to finish you Lord Talbot. There isn't a place on this whole green Earth where you can be safe from me!" Larry distinctly heard the voice fade away as torch bearing villagers broke into the clearing. He passed out as he was helped to his feet.

Amira sipped her tea. There was no full moon last night, so she knew there were no werewolves in the area. So then, what attacked Lawrence Talbot?

The Girl and the Creature were out in the woods, inspecting the area. The locals were up in arms, demanding the village masters destroy anything they found, be it either wolf or gypsy. An old woman in the pub had taken to loudly screeching about the 'thieving murders' and how no one would be safe until they were gone. No one asked if she was talking about humans or animals.

Paying for her food, Amira left to meet with the others back at the inn. "Perhaps, if I can gain an audience with Mr. Talbot, I can find out the truth in this case."

Leaving a note at the front desk, she headed towards the Talbot estate. It was a long walk, but she used the time to construct her story. By the time she arrived at the massive house, she easily bluffed her way past the butler and into the private room of Lawrence Talbot.

He had been dozing, but was awake enough for her questions. Amara had to admit there was something intriguing about him. He was large; muscles built from a lifetime of hard labor. His hands were thick with hair and scars. She sat down and pressed on with her questions. "Tell me, Mr. Talbot, your attacker, did you see what kind of animal it was? I mean, did you see anything unusual about it?"

He looked at her with a cross of annoyance and fatigue. "Like I said to those fools down at the pub, I wasn't attacked by a wolf. It was a man."

Amira was taken back. "A man? Did you recognize him?"

Talbot snorted with disgust. "Of course, but I can't get anyone to believe me. It sounded just like that fool Griffin, who rents a cottage from my father. He swears he was busy with his work, plus no one saw him leave the place last night."

"That is troubling, but why are you sure it was him?"

"You think I don't remember the voice of someone who threatens me?" Talbot sat up. "It was Griffin. I don't know how, but it was him. He was like a shadow or something." He moved out the bed and limped towards the dresser. Taking off his night shirt, Amira gasped at the bandages he was sporting. "I mean, I didn't see him at all. I've never heard of anyone being able to blend into the background like that!"

"You say he's renting a cottage on your property?"

"He's some kind of cockamamie scientist. The last time I was there, he had the whole place filled with colored beakers."

"Thank you sir, you've been a great help." Amira left quickly. She was nearing town when she heard the unmistakable sounds of bare feet following her. Turning around, she saw nothing. She faced the empty road for several minutes before she turned to continue.

An iron hard hand clamped down on her shoulder and spun her around. "Why were you with the Talbots?" A voice demanded.

Trying to free herself, Amira felt two cold hands wrap around her neck. "I was just curious about the attack, that's all!"

"Liar! You think I didn't hear you? That I didn't see you enter Talbot's room? Why are you here?"

Focusing on the voice, Amira drove her knee straight up. She connected with something fleshly and the pressure on her neck vanished. Turning back towards the village, she ran. The sound of unearthly footsteps spurred her on. Her heart felt like it was going burst as she felt the icy hand grip the back of her skirt. It tore easily as she pressed forward.

Spotting a truck coming her way, she waved her arms and yelled. Instantly she heard the footsteps stop. The truck slowed down. "Problem Miss?"

"Someone was chasing me!" She left out the details of them being invisible.

The driver was outraged. "What? In broad daylight? Best come along with me ma'am and we'll have the constables here quick."

"Thank you!" She hopped into the cab as the large vehicle turned around. Before the truck headed back the way it came, she could have sworn she spotted two footprints in the bare grass. She said nothing as the driver groused about the perpetrators he felt were responsible.

"Griffin is the culprit, I know it."

"An invisible man?" The Creature shook his head. "It all sounds so incredible."

"And yet is it any less incredible than us?" She countered.

"So what do you suggest we do?" The Girl wrote out.

"I'm going to lock myself up in the woods." Amira sighed. "If Bela is still nearby, than grandmother must have some means of containing him. Hopefully, she can do the same for me as well." She spread out a map of the area out on the table. "This is the Talbot lands, and here's Griffin's cottage. You two can sneak in from the sides and catch him. With the full moon out, you might stand a chance of spotting him."

"What about the cure?" The Girl scribbled.

"No, Bela needs to know about it first. I'll give the flowers to him. If they work, then perhaps a cure can be found for both of us." Gathering her supplies, Amira wished them both luck. Once out in the hall, she suddenly felt a presence behind her.

"Griffin!"

"None other!" A crowbar crashed against the side of her head, blasting red waves of pain across her eyes. She was dimly aware of falling and being dragged, but the thing that was most of her mind was the sensation of something soft falling out of her pockets.

"The flowers!" She tried to speak her concern, but nothing came out. Griffin's chuckle chilled her to the very bone as she finally gave up and passed out.

Amira came to with a start. Aside from the throbbing pain in her temple, she felt the rough ropes against her arms and legs. "Griffin, I beg you, for your own sake, let me go!" She saw the golden sunset through the blinds.

"Your concern is duly noted, but why should I fear you? Indeed, why should I fear anyone?" He walked into her line of sight. He was wearing bandages over his face and noting more. It was disconcerting seeing a head floating bodiless. He slipped on a pair of gloves. "Forgive me, but it makes things easier when I can see my hands. Wouldn't want any accidents, now would we?"

He approached her with an empty syringe. "What are you going to do with that?" Her pulse was racing. The sun was going down, and the shadows were stretching out.

"Simple. Your blood will help me return, perhaps even cure me of this invisible curse." He raised his voice. "Then, when I have perfected the process, I'll sell my secret. Think of it, an invisible army! Whoever controls this secret, will control the world!" He plunged the needle into her arm and withdrew a small amount. "Now, to test your sample."

He turned his back to her and began to work frantically with his chemicals. Amira struggled against her bonds as she could feel the moon's effects already taking place. Outside, she heard a wolf howl and she knew it was too late.

The Creature and the Girl made their way through the woods. At the village, people had been talking about the gypsies. The talk had been rather negative, but it grew worse as the sun went down. They found the crushed flower petals in the hall. The Girl had insisted they check with the gypsy camp first, just to see if Amara had made it. She had not; the Creature told her to stay with the camp and help with Bela (who had been chained to a tree) while he went to the Talbot estate.

He easily covered the distance. He saw the torches of the mob in the distance and redoubled his speed. "If Amira wasn't at the camp, then could she be at Griffin's?"

Amira felt the Wolf fighting to get out. She had become dependent on the rare flowers they keep the beast at bay, but now without their influence she felt the process beginning with an even quicker speed. Razor sharp talons burst through her fingertips and toes, shredding her shoes. Muscles swelled under her clothes, easily ripping the simple dress to shreds with every movement she made.

"What are you doing?" Griffin turned to face the noise. He dropped his flask.

The Wolf was angry. She knew she had been asleep for too long, too contained. She wanted out. She wanted the freedom of the woods. With almost no effort, she tore the chains away and howled. Her prey was before her. The Wolf sensed something wrong. She could smell him, but there was a problem. Why could she not see him? It wasn't that big of a matter. Prowling towards him, his scent made him more visible to her senses than anything else.

With a scientist's keen training and years of research behind him, Griffin did the most sensible thing; he bolted for the door. He barely avoided the monster's claws in time. Closing the door, he cursed as he realized he left the key inside.

Darting around the side of the house and deeper into the woods, Griffin's mind was a torrent. "What happened? Was this a result of my work?"

The Girl watched the gypsy camp with a growing sense of unease. The villagers had stopped talking; now they were acting. She saw the torch wielding mob coming through the trees. She slipped out from her hiding stop and rushed towards the camp. She approached as shots rang out. She saw a man fall down as Bela's howls grew louder. "What can I do now?" The mob drew closer, as did their shots. Picking up a burning log, the Girl put herself between the mob and the gypsies. The sound of a chain breaking drew her attention from the villagers as they entered the clearing.

The Wolf snarled as she hunted. Her prey was tricky, trickier than any she had hunted before, but the man was close. As she prowled, she suddenly caught the scent of something else; another wolf?

She turned and bounded off, on the trail of the new scent. Above, hugging the tree like a lifeline, Griffin felt his knees wobble as he saw the monster run away. The panic quickly gave way to cold reason. "I must get back to the lab. That blood sample may be worth more than I thought." He slowly made his down and rushed back to the cottage.

The Creature arrived at the back door just as Griffin entered the front. Not seeing anything, the Creature ducked back to the shadows when he heard the door slam. "Then Amira was right after all!" he marveled as flasks and books seemingly moved by themselves. The Creature sank back and waited. "No Amira, then she escaped? Where would she go?" Two wolves howling made him shiver. "Bela!"

The mob entered the clearing, weapons at the ready. "There they are, those murders!" A shrill voice rang out from the back. The Girl moved forward as the gypsies scrambled for their horses.

"Look out!" The Girl wasn't sure who screamed, but the transformed Bela came rushing at the crowd, teeth barred. The Girl leapt between the monster and the men and shoved the burning brand into the werewolf's snout. Bela howled in agony and staggered back. With her inhuman strength, she picked up the remains of his chains and bound the monster with them, forcing him to the ground.

"Out of my way!" Larry Talbot strode through the crowd. "What's going on here?" His voice died when he gazed upon Bela. Before answers could be offered, another wolf's howl rang out.

Bela seemed rejuvenated by the sound. Slipping free of the Girl's grasp, he darted towards the deep woods. Talbot shook off his shock. "Quick, follow me men!" he raced after the departing wolf, ignoring the villagers as they tried to come to grips with the horror they just witnessed.

The Wolf stopped and sniffed the ground. The scent of the other wolf was closer. She howled and heard the response. Running, she also caught a whiff of another scent than made her bare her teeth. Man!

Griffin made his way through the woods. Listening, he followed the wolf howls and the angry mob. He had taken most of his work with him. "Those fools may discover my lab. After this, I had best leave, start over somewhere else." Climbing a tree, he drew a pistol from his bag. He had heard legends of the werewolves, but he never put much faith in them. Checking the gun, he made sure the two silver bullets were loaded. "If I can get the blood of such a creature, then my cure may not be far behind!"

Hearing the sounds of something moving through the woods, Griffin dropped down and placed his back to the tree. He had to hold his breath as the beast prowled. When it reared back and howled, Griffin took aim and fired.

The beast spun around and fell to the ground, unmoving. Quickly, Griffin snagged his bag from the tree and rushed to the monster's side. Before his eyes, the monster was changing back. Hair was receding, muscles shifting and losing tone; in seconds what had been a large wolf was now noting more than a dead man. Griffin took out a syringe and prepped the body. "My friend, you are going to make me very wealthy." He was so engrossed in his work he failed to hear the leaves rustling or the damp earth being tread upon. When the hot breath fell upon his bare back, Griffin turned around. He found himself staring into the maw of another werewolf.

The Wolf heard the shot before she entered the clearing. The other wolf was dead, she knew. The man crouched over him, admiring the kill? She silently padded towards the killer as he worked with the body.

The man spun around and tried to use his weapon, but one swipe from her paw disarmed him. The gun and most of the man's hand fell to the ground. Snarling, the scent of blood flooding her senses, the Wolf pounced. The man ducked, but he was injured. She could wait.

Griffin swore as he ran. He was invisible to the monster's eyes, he knew, but not to her other senses. Screaming, he ran towards what he hoped was the mob. Even with the shock, he still planned. "All I have to do is get away. If I can slip through the crowd, then they can kill the beast." His heart was racing as he saw an armed man nearby. Calling out to him, his words died in a bloody gargle as the Wolf leapt upon his back.

The fight was short as it was violent. Razor sharp teeth and nails tore through Griffin's bare flesh. The Invisible Man quickly became a visible man with the mud and blood covering his shredded body. His death rattle was low and quick. The Wolf fastened her teeth around his neck and with one quick tug crushed it. Hearing new prey, the Wolf tossed the gored remains aside and stalked the new scent, unaware and uncaring that the parts of Griffin's body that were not already coated were slowly returning to visibility in the moon light.

Talbot wished, not for the first time that he had waited for the villagers to catch up with him. He had remembered to bring his father's cane and a pistol, but nothing else. He stopped when he heard a man call out to him. Before he could answer, the man's call turned into a scream coupled with a wolf's snarls. Rushing deeper into the woods, he saw a monstrous wolf drop something from its gore flecked jaws and move towards him.

With a careful aim, he fired his gun. The bullet tore through fur and tissue, but didn't otherwise slow the animals down. Two more shots, each one clearly hitting their target, convinced Larry to forgo the gun and concentrate on retreating.

Tripping over an exposed root, Larry reached out for the first thing at hand when the wolf pounced on him. His fingers closed around his cane as his stared into the snarling maw. With a quick thrust, he drove the cane's silver handle into the wolf's midsection. It howled in agony and rolled away.

Back on his feet, Larry advanced, wielding the cane like a club. There was no other sound in the forest. Man and animal faced each other, eyes locked. The wolf howled and stood on its back legs before it rushed him. He swung the cane with all his strength, crashing the cane into the wolf's head. Bone and fur cracked, echoing in the woods. The wolf fell into the shadows and lay still.

Catching breath, Larry limped back to the camp, unaware of the Creature's presence. The Creature rushed to the wolf's side as it slowly reverted back to Amira. He checked her wound. The cane had crushed her skull.

She was dead.

He gently picked her up and carried her away. Tears rolled down his scarred face, as he seemed to vanish into the night just as the mob appeared.

~ The Next Day

The ceremony was small. The Creature and the Girl buried Amira next to Dr. Seward on the asylum grounds. They told no one of the circumstance of Amira's death. Her grandmother sadly looked when they passed by the camp, but said nothing. Silver was the deadliest thing in the world to a werewolf.

The Girl, her faced streaked with tears, balled her fists. "Not…fair!" her voice was raspy.

"Life seldom is." The Creature held her. He thought about attacking the villagers. With his strength and power, he could have razed the entire village down with no effort. Amira would never have forgiven him, and he doubt he could have either. They said their goodbyes and closed the door to the crypt.

Overlooking the ocean, the Creature suddenly felt his years. "Even with all this life, is this all there is? Just saying goodbye to friends?" He took the Girl's hand in his and walked back towards the main house. The area around them seemed more desolate than before. Amira's death was hard, but the Creature knew that at least, her pain had ended. He and the Girl would deal with their own in their own way.

The end

The following was an original story, but it was based on the following films:

**The Invisible Man** (1933), dir. James Whale, Universal Pictures

**The Wolf Man** (1941), dir. George Waggner, Universal Pictures

With all characters belonging to their respective owners. No infringement in intended and all rights reserved


	7. The Creeping Dead

The Creeping Dead

September 13, 1937

Past the Seward Asylum for the Mentally Ill, on the very edge of the grounds, was a small plot of land. The plot had no official name, but it was often used as a burial plot by the asylum for inmates who lacked family or funds to be buried in the local churchyard. Past the older headstones, however, was a new addition.

In the center of the plot was a small mausoleum. The name 'Seward' was engraved over the door in large letters. For the two men entering the plot, this made their job easier.

"Hurry up Chick!" Martin, a somber looking fellow with greasy hair, hissed at his companion.

"I've going, but if you'd have a proper light I could see where I'm walking!" Chick, a heavyset fellow, whined as he limped towards his partner.

"Yeah, and let the whole area see us? The doc isn't paying us to get caught." Martin carefully placed his satchel down and started removing tools from it. "Now grab a crowbar and help me out here."

"Alright, alright, I'm going, I'm going!" Chick picked up the aforementioned crowbar and set about prying the heavy stone door open.

Once the lock was broken, Martin roughly pushed Chick aside and marched into the crypt. Chick winced and dropped the crowbar, earning him a harsh glare from Martin.

"Quiet you fool! If the night watchmen catch us, we're good as gone!" Chick sucked in his lips but said nothing.

Martin struck a match and moved into the interior of the crypt. Going past the wall vaults, he whistled when he saw a long black coffin lying neatly in the center of the room. "Get a load of this!"

Lighting a candle on a nearby holder, Martin read the inscription on the coffin's lid. "'Amira, our friend. May you find the peace life denied you', huh, the doc didn't mention anything about a girl being buried here. Must be recent."

"Well, maybe they're renting out the space?" Chick suggested; which only earned him a slap from Martin.

"Quiet you boob! The doc wants bodies, right? So, why not get him a fresh one? This coffin is easier to get into than one of those stone jobs, and I bet the little lady here would be dying to be part of the doctor's work."

With Martin on one side and Chick on the other, they broke the seals on the coffin and forced the lid off. "Hey, what's with all the flowers?" Chick picked up a string of wolfs bane that had been tied into the lining.

"Decoration probably. Come on, let's get her in the bag!" Martin stopped. "Hey Chick, how long has this body been here?"

Chick looked over the coffin lid. The room was awash in moonlight thanks to a skylight. "Says here last year, why?"

"She looks too fresh to me." Martin had been in the resurrection business a while. He knew how to transport bodies in various shapes and conditions, but he had never seen a year old corpse look so lively before.

When her eyes snapped open, Martin's attitude began to change. "What is this?"

Before he could write the matter off as a muscle reaction, she sat up and gasped for breath. She seemed extremely confused. "Where am I?"

"Hey Martin, what's the deal?" Chick scratched his head. "I thought there was only supposed to be stiffs in here."

"Don't use my real name you idiot!" Martin snapped. He hated to admit it, but Chick did have a point. Was this a set-up?

Ignoring the bickering would be robbers; Amira looked around, her dread growing. "No, I can't be here, this isn't right!" She tried to climb out of her coffin when she felt an all too familiar sensation. "Oh no, not the full moon!" She cried out as she felt the monster inside waking. Her thrashing only succeeded in knocking the coffin off its pedestal and onto the floor.

"Say Martin, what's the matter with her?" Chick asked, casually as he could be.

"I don't know, why don't you go over and ask her?' Martin spat. Grabbing his tools, he turned to leave. "I don't care what the doc promised us, this job is getting too complicated for me!"

Chick, taking Martin's advice, walked over to the overturned coffin and nudged it with his foot. "Say lady, are you ok?"

Hearing only growls and snarls coming from under the lid, Chick decided that his presence was needed elsewhere. "Hey Martin, wait for me!" He started to move when a large hairy arm broke through the polished wood. Chick's voice went up several octaves as what the arm was attached to followed suit.

Outside

Martin wiped the sweat from his brow. None of this added up. Hearing Chick's high pitched whines, Martin turned around in time to nearly be run over by his fat cohort. "What's the matter?"

Chick stumbled over his words. A howl came from within the crypt. "What, was there a dog in there too?" For a response, Chick shoved Martin out of the way and sprinted off into the night. "Nut! Cowardly nut! Why do I put up with him anyway?"

He heard the snarl first. Turning around, Martin stood nearly face to face with a nightmare. The monster stepped into the moonlight on padded feet. He felt his guts giggle inside as the beast howled once more.

"Dear God!" Martin, any pretense at bravery or superiority gone, flung his tools aside and broke into a mad run. He heard the beastly thing back at the crypt move, its claws scratching on the old stone. "Chick, wait up!" Martin felt the thing's hot breath at his back. Any second, he knew it would leap upon him…

So concerned was he that he failed to spot the large oak directly in his path. He crashed headlong into the aged wood and knocked himself out. The Wolf, more concerned with its new found freedom, ignored his prone form and ran freely in the moonlight.

~Meanwhile, back at the Asylum

Much had been changed since Amira's passing. Using the funds provided by the late Dr. Seward, the Creature and the Girl had set up a trust. Using the money, they had the asylum closed and relocated it to a new location. Taking over the grounds, they had both decided to retire in peace.

The Creature, as was his want, was strolling in the gardens when he heard an all too familiar howl. "No, it can't be!" He rushed back inside. The Girl stood at the window. Her vocal cords never fully healed, but her face told him everything.

"You check the east and I'll go west." The Girl nodded and left. Once she was gone, he picked up a good length of chain. Grabbing a lantern, he followed the sound of the howling.

The Creature didn't have to search for long. He had just entered the forest when the Wolf jumped him. He threw her off effortlessly. The beast hit the ground, rolled, and came up snarling. Laying the lantern down, the Creature readied himself. "Are you her? How can you be alive?"

For answer, the Wolf pounced on him. Thinking quickly, he shoved the chain into the wolf's mouth. Rolling to the side, he grimaced as the wolf's claws raked his dead yellow flesh. Pinning the wolf down, he snagged the free end of the chain. Wrapping it around the wolf's hands, he tied the chain in a loose knot. Forcing his arm under the wolf's jaw and wrapped it around the struggling beast's neck. "Don't struggle!" The Creature roared as he squeezed. After an agonizing eternity, the wolf finally stopped thrashing.

Dragging the wolf to a nearby tree, the Creature finished binding the wolf's legs together before tying the chain around the tree trunk. "Now we wait until morning."

~The next day

As the sun slowly rose over the land, the Creature sat on an old stump and kept his vigil. The Wolf thrashed and howled in agony as hair receded, fangs went dull, and soon the chain fell limply from the now bare shoulders of a figure he never thought he would see again.

"Amira?"

She weakly looked up. "Am I in Heaven or Hell?"

"Neither; England."

She gestured towards the chain. "Now that I'm back among the living, perhaps you could be so kind as to free me?"

The Creature warily complied. He had seen much in his bizarre life. Why couldn't someone come back from the dead?

Once freed, Amira slowly reached out and laid a hand on his arm. "You're real?" She suddenly threw herself against him and cried. "What happened to me?"

The Creature was unprepared for such a response. At length he loosened his grip and pushed her away. "I'm not sure, but we'll find out." He slipped off his jacket and gave it to her.

"Wait, there was something else!" She frantically looked around. "I woke up, and there were two men near me! One might be around here."

So the pair searched. Of Chick they found no trace. Unknown to them he was several leagues away, babbling his story to an increasingly bemused crowd of bar patrons. Martin was a slightly different matter.

Of the man himself they found no trace. Near the tree where he fell they found a torn pocket and several items that looked promising. Gathering up the sundry things, they made their way back to the asylum. The Creature's curiosity grew the closer they came. How was he going to explain what was happening?

~Inside

As it turned out, he did very little explaining. The Girl, upon seeing Amira, dropped everything and rushed towards her. They cried and embraced for a great length of time before the Girl broke the embrace and picked up a notepad. Frantically writing down questions, Amira tried to answer them as best she could.

"I don't know why I'm alive." Amira shook her head. Trying to change the subject, she turned to the Creature. "What was in that man's pockets?"

The Creature laid the contents out on the table. It was not very much to go on. There was a battered wallet, with only a folded piece of paper inside it and a few coins. The Creature picked up one of the coins and examined it. "It's a real!"

"You thought it was counterfeit?" Amira raised an eyebrow.

"No, a real; money from Brazil."

"Brazil? How would money from Brazil get into an English grave robber's pocket?"

"That is curious." The Creature picked up the paper and unfolded it. It was very confusing, save for a little bit at the end. He read it aloud.

"There's nothing here but numbers and dates." As he unfolded the last part, he saw something that made his artificially assembled heart turn cold. On the last piece of the page, sealed in blood red wax, was a stylized 'D' surrounded by Latin. "Dracula!"

~D

On the other side of the globe, there was another conversation taking place. Deep within the Brazilian Rainforest, nestled deep within a small tributary, two men were discussing the future. "I tell you, I can't work under these conditions!"

Dr. Wolf Frankenstein, formerly of America, ran his fingers through his hair. Like other members of his family, he had gone into medicine. Unlike his brother Ludwig or his father, he swore to have no part in madness, either dealing with or creating it.

Changing his name, he left for America, where he had become a surgeon of some renown. He thought monsters were passé in the twentieth century, like ghouls and ghosts. A strangely worded letter had lured him away from his family and had embroiled him with the woman standing across from him.

"And I say you can. I need your skill doctor, not your attitude or excuses."

Katherine Caldwell was a tall thin-faced woman. She was possessed of a cold beauty. Her being the oldest daughter of one of the richest men in the Southeast had been the chief reason for Wolf's agreeing to work with her. Her letter had implored him to help her, claiming among other things, that Wolf could very well help her find a way to defeat death.

It had been a lie. Or if it had been the truth she was going about it in a very odd manner. Flying to the jungles of Brazil, she had put him to work. Day and night he toiled on various things. At first it was with materiel he knew and was familiar with, but things grew sinister.

She would stay over his shoulder every day, but as soon as it grew dark she would vanish. In her place was Igor. The very sight of the man chilled Wolf's soul.

He was an ugly man. Short and misshapen, his outward ugliness was only matched by his inner cruelty. His feet always seemed to be pointing in the opposite direction of his torso. His head hung low, perched on a grossly swollen and misshapen neck. "They try to hang me. I was dead two minutes before I woke up." He would often amuse himself by knocking his knuckles against the protruding bone.

There was another, but Wolf had never spoken to the man. He was tall but heavyset. He looked immaculate, with slick backed white hair and formal clothes at all times. Wolf assumed that he was main financer of this venture, but he wasn't sure.

Roughly two weeks in was when the boxes started being shipped in. Large crates, first filled with dirt, then bones were being delivered from all over the world. Wolf's instructions also grew more macabre.

It was little things at first. Igor would give him a series of dead animals, with various instructions for each specimen. It was nearly a month before Wolf finally worked up the nerve to confront his employer.

"I demand to know what you're doing."

Caldwell casually dropped the reports he gave her and coolly looked at him. "Cheating death doctor, like I told you. As I said before, your attitude is growing tiresome."

"And I told you I couldn't work under these conditions. You think I'm not aware of the bodies you're sending me? You want me to create a monster like my ancestor!"

Caldwell laughed. It was not a pleasant sound. "You honestly think I spent half of my entire fortune to fly you down to this hellish backwater just so you could sew together a patchwork freak like your forefather made? Don't insult my intelligence. This isn't some tinker toy set I want you to build, this is the next step for humanity!"

"But the bodies, all those tests…" Wolf was less sure. "If not a monster, than what in Heaven's name am I doing?"

"All will be explained in time doctor, all in time." Caldwell snatched the reports and left. Once she was further away, she rounded a corner and entered a secret room. Igor was waiting on her.

"Does he suspect?"

"Yes, but we can't do anything now. Let the fool work for a little while longer. Once the Master is ready, end him."

~Back in England

Once they had settled down, Amira and the rest began their plan. Investigating similar acts of grave robbing, the trio was shocked to find accounts coming in from nearly every county, with some even coming from the continent. "I doubt those two were behind it all." The Creature placed a pushpin into a large map, marking yet another robbed grave.

"They must have help, or maybe they are taking orders from someone." Amira picked up the note taken from Martin's pocket. "How would Dracula factor into this? Vampires generally don't stoop to robbing graves."

"Let's go ask them." The Creature turned around. "Those fools couldn't have gotten very far, and since they failed in their mission, I doubt they are going to head back to their master empty handed."

They all agreed. Amira went down into the local village and headed towards the pub, while the Creature and the Girl headed east towards West Thurrock. "There were a few crypts broken into last night over there. That could be our men."

Amira walked into the small village just as the sun was setting. She stopped as the whole place seemed to change. Workmen entered from the fields, signs were flipped around, and a series of lights appeared in most windows.

The village pub, a large squat building with a battered sign hanging over the door, was just off the main road. She walked down the street. "Why am I so nervous? There's no full moon." She suddenly rubbed her arms. "It's been a year. Even before I…died, I was never able to do this."

She entered the through the front door. At the bar was a collection of the village men; farmers and workmen all. There was, however a slight difference. At the back, sitting at one of the small tables near the rear, were the two men she sought.

Not wishing to reveal her presence just yet, Amira took a seat near them, but far enough away to still listen. They were arguing. She leaned in closer to understand them.

"I'm telling you, the boss isn't going to know!"

"And I'm telling you, ether we get something by midnight, or else!" Martin shakily downed his beer. "They want the order complete, and if we hold up the plane our lives won't be worth the watered swill they serve here."

Amira stood up and moved over to them. She flipped her hair forward to help disguise her face. "Say, are you gentlemen needing some company this evening?"

Chick gleefully nodded, but Martin slapped him. "We're busy toots. Go bother someone else."

Amira took her old seat back, but mentally compiled what she had learned. "There are others? And a plane?"

She waited until they finished. Slipping out through the back, she made her way towards the road. The two headed towards the forest. "Interesting…"

~Much later

"I'm telling you, why don't we just grab some leftovers from the butcher? I doubt that screwy doc is going to know the difference." Chick whined as he dug.

"And that is why I'm the brains of this outfit. Look dummy, that Franky guy is smart. Real smart, so I doubt a few dog bones or beef steaks are going to fool him. Let's just dig up this old bag of bones and get to the point. More worky less talky, understand?" Martin leaned back against a tree as Chick threw up another shovelful of dirt.

While unseen by them, Amira crouched in the bushes. "Frank? Frankenstein? Now I've heard enough!"

Strolling out into the open, she calmly walked up to the two men. "Hello boys, remember me?"

Martin gasped. His unlit cigarette fell from his mouth. "You!" He choked out before tripping on a tree root.

"What's going on Martin?" Chick stopped digging as he finally struck the coffin. "Martin?"

"Stay away!" Martin screamed as he scrambled to his feet. "You're dead, leave me alone!"

"I can't rest, not until you tell me why!" Amira moaned and outstretched her arms. "Why did you disturb my slumber?" She clasped her hands on his exposed ankle. Martin shrieked, thanks in part to her dipping her hands in a freezing running stream several minutes before.

"Frankenstein! Frankenstein hired us! That's all I know, I swear!" Martin's voice broke several octaves as he tore himself free and streaked blindly into the woods. Turning her attention to Chick, Amira picked up Martin's discarded shovel and stood over the grave.

"Tell me, where you were taking this body, or else you will join me in torment!" Chick took once glance upward, dropped his shovel and promptly told her the meeting place, the password, how much they were paid, his mother's maiden name, and how much a duck cost.

After warning him to refill the dirt, she dropped the shovel into the grave and slipped away. "I must warn the others! The entire world could be in jeopardy!"

After making her way back home, Amira was surprised to find the Creature and the Girl sitting in the drawing room. They quickly swapped tales and compiled their information. "We learned that there is a plane leaving within the hour from a hidden airstrip a few miles inland." The Creature drew his findings on a map. "We disrupted one group, but they fled before we could find out anything more."

"And all those gravediggers have been shipping what they have taken to South America, apparently under the orders of a Frankenstein, but why?"

"Another one of us?" The Girl wrote her answer out in chalk.

"Possibly; I recall Dr. Frankenstein having a younger brother, but I thought he was somewhere in North America, not South."

"He must be planning something huge for this amount of effort." Amira looked over the maps and notes they had collected. "So, we know where they are leaving and where they are going. I think I can arrange transport without too much trouble."

"So, we go to South America then?" The Creature looked at her.

"Yes." Amira sounded sure of herself. "They are gathering near a place called 'the Black Lagoon', but I'm not seeing it on any map."

The Creature raised an eyebrow. "I've hard of this place. It is located deep within the jungle, but that's all I remember. The native spoke of it in only hushed whispers. They call it a place of death."

"Be that as it may, it's still our best chance to find and stop this Frankenstein and whatever he's up to." They all nodded in agreement. The stars twinkled in the dark sky as plans were made.

~ In South America

"Has the new shipment arrived?"

Igor turned to Wolf and grinned lopsidedly. "Yes, most of them anyway. The master wants you to start work right away."

Wolf sighed. "Very well, I-" he stopped when Igor began to rifle through his notes and papers. "Wait, what are you doing?"

"Taking your work to the master. He wants to know how you are progressing."

"But I'm not even sure what he wants me to do!" Wolf still remembered Caldwell's words. He tried to stop Igor, but the twisted man pushed him aside.

"The master himself will inform you, when the time is right." Igor laughed as he limped away.

~Later that night

Wolf pinched the bridge of his nose as he stared into the microscope. "These samples they have given me, I've never seen anything like this." He picked up a microphone and turned his dictation machine on. "Lab results, test number fifty. The white blood count on this sample is unlike any I've ever encountered. The red blood cells are, well, nonexistent, and" he stopped when the door slowly opened. Wolf put the microphone down. "Who's there?"

"Your employer." A dark voice, with a strange accent, answered back. Wolf spun around and stared in shock. The man in the doorway stepped into the room. He was tall. Wider than Wolf, he looked less like a man and more like a compacted machine. His hair was utterly white, save for a thin black mustache that adorned his upper lip. His fingernails were manicured, but incredibly long. "So, Ms. Caldwell informs me you are making some progress."

"Yes, ah, I never caught your name?" Wolf found himself back up against the table. The room seemed colder.

"I never gave it, but I think now is the best time for introductions. My name is Count Alucard. Ms. Caldwell is my assistant, as is Igor."

"I'm pleased to have finally met you." Wolf offered his hand, but the count didn't take it.

"The reason I have not informed you as to the nature of this project Dr. Frankenstein is secrecy. I needed to know if I could trust you."

"Can you?"

The count's mouth upturned at the corners in what Wolf assumed was a smile. "Yes, yes I can. Now that we understand each other, I want to tell you the exact nature of your work here."

The count gestured towards the open door. Wolf followed him, not wishing to have the strange man at his back. "I may not look it doctor, but I am a sick man. Dying, really, and in my sickness I see only never ending agony. I want you to cure me."

"What?" Wolf sputtered. "But how can I? I've never seen your blood, and those bodies I've been working on all had different causes of death. If you wish to be cured, my research can't help you!"

"That is where you are wrong doctor." The count opened a door and stepped into a well lit room. "You have shown great initiative, plus you work has shown me the cure is possible." He held up his hand. "I know, I speak in riddles, but I assure you, this will change the world as we know it."

Wolf considered the odd man for a minute. He had no reason to trust him, but he also had no idea what to do if he refused. At length, he stuck his hand out. "I accept, when can the real work begin?"

"Excellent." The count grasped Wolf's hand. He winced as the man's icy grip almost popped a few bones. "We shall begin work tomorrow night. I expect great things from you Dr. Frankenstein."

~A

Once away, Alucard slipped into a secret passage. The building he had selected as a lab had once been a Portuguese fort some centuries ago. Secret passageways and rooms honeycombed the place. Several twisting turns later, he entered Katherine's room. "Did he accept?" She lay on the bed, her nightgown sheer and partially unbuttoned.

"Gleefully." Alucard removed his jacket. Stepping in front of a mirror, he smiled fully at the sight of the empty suit moving around. "I think we'll have to be careful though. Just let things go slow, at first, but I want him working around the clock."

He sat down on the bed. "With you assisting him, of course."

Katherine smiled as she lightly ran a finger over his calloused knuckles. "We'll have you developing a tan within days I should think."

Alucard raised an eyebrow. "All of this, and physical beauty is still an obsession?"

"If I can stay like this forever, then yes."

Alucard said nothing, but leaned down. His fetid breath and razor sharp teeth filled Katherine's vision as she blew out the candle…

Amira, the Creature and the Girl stepped onto the dock within the Brazilian jungle. Getting passage to the continent had taken some time, but money in the right places quelled most objections. From what they had gathered, the grave robbers were in the service of Dr. Frankenstein. Taking the bodies to a dock, they gathered that the corpses were shipped from England and elsewhere to Brazil.

From there things became tricky. Tracking the boat, they found it berthed in one of the smaller ports. Their asking around produced a few answers. Mostly, from what the locals saw, the cargo was taken off to a small boat that went into the interior. From there, no one could say.

Hiring a boat, they decided to follow the river to its source. It had not been easy, as nearly every captain turned them down upon hearing their route. "No one comes back from the Black Lagoon, no one!" was the typical response.

Hours later, they managed to find perhaps the only riverboat captain in the entire country who would agree to their terms. Lucas was a swarthy man, with a mouthful of gold teeth and a tongue of silver. The _Rita_ was a deathtrap held together with bailing wire and hope. He grinned lopsidedly at them as they boarded. "I say to myself, Lucas, you must take this young lady's gold. Anyone willing to pay that much to go up this river must be very rich or very desperate." He laughed uproariously at his own joke.

"We are desperate." Amira admitted, but she didn't reveal more details. "Just take us to the river's source. If you wish to turn back after that, you can."

"You bet I will!" Lucas again laughed at his joke as the _Rita_ putted ahead into the interior. The Creature and the Girl were both below deck, planning out the next move. "The full moon isn't until a few more days." Amira looked around at the moving scenery. The flowers, the only thing that could control the monster inside her, were gone. "I can't blame them for not keeping them after I died, but it does make things difficult. Will the beast hurt anyone?"

The dense jungle offered no answers. Heading below deck, she entered the sole cabin as the Creature was discussing their destination. "The area of the map is largely unexplored. The Spanish and the Portuguese both avoided the area, especially this part." He tapped a yellowish thumb against the map. "The Black Lagoon, supposedly, is some sort of locked off lost world. Even in my travels, I have heard little of it."

"Then we are going to have to be careful. If Frankenstein and Dracula are involved in this, then I can't believe anything good could be there."

It was roughly midday when Amira noticed there was something wrong. All the sounds, save for the puttering of the _Rita's_ engine, stopped. Running her tongue over her teeth, she felt a great sense of uneasy growing as she looked around. She saw no birds, animals, or anything else to suggest life. Even the water had turned a thick brackish hue.

"Senorita, perhaps you should go below deck, eh?" Lucas wrung his beaten cap in his hands.

"What is going on with this place?"

Lucas nervously looked around. "No one really knows. The natives, they have always stayed away; armies too. There is never any game here. Even I have never been this far."

He stepped closer. "What exactly are you looking for? Treasure? I tell you now, you'll never live to spend it."

"It is more complicated than treasure." A bubbling near the boat drew her attention away from the captain's worries. "I thought there were no fish in this area?"

"There aren't." Lucas carefully moved closer to the railing when a green scaly hand burst from the surface before disappearing beneath the waves.

They were both thrown to the deck when the boat suddenly stopped. "We're caught on something!"

The Creature and the Girl both raced topside. "We're taking in water!" The Creature looked around in confusion. "Did we hit something?"

"I knew I shouldn't have taken this job!" Lucas wailed as he rushed below. The _Rita_ shuddered once more before flipping over. Amira lost track of the others as she splashed down and sank under the surface. She was briefly aware of something large and scaly gripping her before passing out.

""What the devil is the meaning of this?" Wolf fumed as he hurried down the old steps. The hunchback Igor was sitting casually on a rickety stool.

"Master say, 'Igor test subjects', so I test subjects." Igor cruelly laughed as Wolf stared at the large iron door before them.

"What is behind that door Igor?" Wolf raised his voice.

"Until the master says, I say nothing to you!" Igor hopped off the stool. He was a few feet shorter than Wolf, but almost as wide as the door.

"Not a problem I hope?" Caldwell stepped into the room and made her way down the stone steps.

Wolf turned on her. "A problem? Madam, I hear what sounds like a hurricane erupting from this room, and you ask if there is a problem?"

"That noise was simply another experiment being conducted, Dr. Frankenstein. You will see the subjects the moments they are ready."

Wolf didn't have to wait very long. The next morning he was summoned back to the strange room. Arriving, he was dumbstruck by the sight before him. "Is that is what I think it is?"

"The creature that murdered your father, brother, and forever associated your family with monsters? Yes, it is."

Wolf carefully approached the unmoving creature as Caldwell stepped back. "How?"

"Luck, mostly. Our forces found it and several other bodies near the lagoon."

"Forces? What forces?" Wolf pried his attention away from the monster. "I thought it was only the four of us here?"

Caldwell smiled demurely. "Those subjects I mentioned? Those are our forces. The monster is still sedated, but I think there is time to show you partially what your work has wrought."

Twisting a candlestick mounted on the wall, she led him through a secret chamber. Moving further into the Earth, Wolf gasped in horror as they entered another lab. "You didn't!"

Standing in rows, like a perfect army, were dozens of monsters like the one upstairs. Caldwell ignored his distress and walked over a gangplank suspended over the beings. "We did, or to be more exact, you did. All that research, and you never suspected?"

"In Heaven's name, why? Wasn't one of those beasts enough for the world?"

"No." Caldwell turned and pointed to the dull-eyed mockeries of humans. "We have the parts, but we are missing something. We can recreate that freak a thousand times, but it will never be enough. All we produce are slow-witted buffoons, but making intelligent beings? That is where the original and you come in doctor. We need to study the monster, Dr. Frankenstein. We must know how it works so we can recreate it!"

"You're mad!"

"Not mad, doctor, just seeing the potential of your work." Another door opened behind them. "Also there is something else to consider."

"What?"

Igor's ham-hock like hand clasped Wolf's shoulder. "What was promised to me!"

Wolf spun around. "What do you mean?"

"This form is rotten doctor, rotten! That creature's body is perfect!"

Cold realization hit Wolf. "Oh no, no, you can't suggest…"

"We are doctor. After the study, of course, the master wishes Igor's brain to be placed inside the creature's body. He rewards loyalty, after all."

"And Igor has been so very loyal!" The misshaped man cackled.

Wolf paled and shrugged his way free. "This is madness, and I won't hear another minute of it!" He bolted for the stairs, but he never got that far. Igor clamped his hands on him and forcibly dragged his back towards Caldwell. "Work!"

"Never!"

Caldwell stepped forward as Wolf struggled in vain. "Doctor, do you think we don't know about your family?" Wolf stopped his struggle. "Unless you work with us in total cooperation, I can assure you your wife and son will both come to very bad ends."

The fight went out in Wolf's eyes. "Very well." He straightened his collar. "When do we start?"

"Tonight"

Alcuard smiled as he saw the three unconscious bodies before him. "Are their bonds secure?"

Igor nodded as he added extra chains to the Creature. "Oh yes master, quite!"

"Excellent," he turned his attention to Amira and the Girl. "What of these?"

"The female seems to be the monster's mate, and the other female we're not sure." Caldwell slipped a pair of reading glasses on as she looked over her findings. "Her blood shows some very unusual properties."

Alucard's interest was spurred. "You don't say." He turned towards Amira. "What secrets do you hold?"

"Master, what about the captain of the boat?" Igor finished securing the Creature.

"Is he unusual in any way?"

"No, just another river rat boat captain." Igor shook his head. "Shall I kill him?"

"Hmm, no, not yet. Tell me, what was the shape of the boat when our creatures found it?"

"Destroyed, like an animal clawed it to pieces."

"That gives me an idea. Prepare a launch, I wish to see this wreckage for myself." Alucard smiled humorlessly. "And bring the captain. His insight may prove useful."

Lucas grumbled briefly as he was being shoved into the small boat, but a glare from Alucard silenced him. They went back to the sight Lucas almost refused to believe. "Rita, ah, my sweet!"

The _Rita_ lay on its side. The hull was shredded in several key points. The rudder was bent nearly in two. The propellers too were bent. "Tell me, how did this happen!" Alucard picked up a piece of the ship's hull that floated near them.

"I already told your boys." Lucas sullenly eyed the vampire.

"And I want you to tell me. Now!" Alucard crushed the wood into splinters with one hand.

"Something came out of the water. I didn't get a good look senior, but it was green and very scaly. Like a fish, but also like a man."

Caldwell's interest perked. "I recall the locals mentioning some kind of fish creature that supposedly lurks in these waters. I assumed it was just a legend."

Alucard tossed the wood back into the water. "Nearly all legends have some basis in fact. Go back to the lab. I want our forces ready to recover this creature by tomorrow night!" With a care he threw Lucas over the side. As the man splashed about in the dark water, Alucard ordered the boat. "If the creature is hungry, perhaps our friend there will sate it."

"But what if he escapes?"

"Who will he tell? Even if he did, we'll be finished with our work by morning in any event."

Back in the lab, Amira slowly awakened. "Good, you're up!" Igor grinned as he approached her.

"Why am I tied up? Where are my friends?"

"I don't have to answer you!" Igor's grinned turned dark. "The master wants you ready, so Igor gets you ready!"

"You fool, stay back!" Amira thrashed against her bonds. "You don't know what danger I can be to other people!"

Igor stopped. "Danger? What kind of danger?"

"What is the date? Is it a full moon?"

"Not for hours, but yes." He grew suspicious. "Why?"

"Then for your own sake, get away!"

"That's enough Igor." Caldwell entered the room. "Go check on our other guests, please." Igor limped away, but gave Amira an evil glare as he left. Caldwell ignored him and focused her attention on the captive girl. "Ah, you're awake, excellent!"

"Listen to me, you have to get away from here!" Amira pleaded. "I'm dangerous to everyone!"

"Oh? And why is that?"

"I'm a werewolf!" Amira pleaded. Much to her shock and puzzlement, Caldwell laughed.

"So that explains the blood! You were driving me crazy for a while there dear."

"Blood? What do you mean?"

Caldwell reached into her coat and pulled out a syringe. "While you were sleeping I took some of your blood. We're doing medical research here, you see, and I noticed some very unusual traits in your sample. I was curious as to their origin, but a werewolf? I never would have guessed that."

"Well, if you know, what are you going to do?"

Caldwell seemed pleasant. "I'm involved in an experiment, and with what you told me, I believe you might be the secret that we needed." She felt for a vein on Amira's arm and swabbed her elbow down with alcohol.

"What secret?" Amira felt a chill.

"My employer is a sick man. Dying, in fact, and what he needs is a medical miracle. Your blood might just be the key to the puzzle." She jabbed the needle in Amira's arm and withdrew a tiny amount of blood. She held the syringe up in triumph. "If this can do what I think it can, then you may very well help change the entire world." She left as Amira pleaded with her.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Amira started to panic. "What are they doing here?"

"Do you have the samples?" Wolf paced back and forth.

"Yes, and calm yourself doctor. We must tread carefully." Caldwell carefully placed the test tubes into the rack. "What we do now will echo throughout infinity."

Wolf took a small amount of the tube marked 'A' and injected it into another sample Caldwell provided. Glancing through the microscope as he examined the reaction, he gasped. "Amazing! The white cell count is changing, the, everything!" He stepped back. "This is the most incredible thing I've ever seen!"

"That is exactly what I needed to hear!" Caldwell removed the test tubes and slipped them into a small case. Wolf stopped her before she left.

"Wait, the original sample, was it from our…employer?' Wolf tried to think of the least offensive word he could imagine.

"I'm not at liberty to say." Caldwell shook his hand free and left, but Wolf could tell by her reaction that it must have been.

~ Later that night

Alucard smiled as Caldwell presented him with the findings. "So, I will be able to resist the sun's rays?"

"Not quite; it seems that the cobbled together female's blood has a very odd protein. If injected, it might make you mortal, or close enough to it."

The smile vanished. "And the other?"

"The werewolf sample showed promise, but if injected into your system we have no idea what the final result would be!"

"I don't care. I've waited too long for this moment; centuries after centuries, toiling away as a forgotten servant. No more!" Alucard brushed past her. "I will outdo my former namesake in everything. I must complete this. The world shall know of its new master, and it shall know of it before the next sun rise! Bring me the werewolf, I shall put it in charge of our forces tonight!"

~ Moments before

Amira started to panic. She could feel the moon rising as she struggled in her bonds. "Where am I?" She tried to piece together what she knew as she felt the monster inside awaken. "They tied me up, but not enough I know."

Her bones started to shift as her hair grew and lengthened. Her teeth became fangs as her skull cracked, pushed, and reshaped itself. She briefly wondered about the fate of her friends before the wolf took over.

The Wolf hated many things. Being confined was one of them; thrashing against the chains, the transformed woman ripped one arm free before Alucard entered the room. "Ah, I see you are awake."

He stood unfazed as the Wolf snarled and reached for him. Looking her in the eye, the undead count stepped forward. "Listen to me and only me. I am your master now. You will obey me."

At once the Wolf stopped fighting. "Good. When I give the order, you will follow me and do exactly as I command." He unlocked her chains. The now useless things clattered to the ground. The Wolf stood silently. "Excellent, but I must know more. Follow me and say nothing."

He left, the Wolf silently following him. Entering the lab, he stopped as Caldwell and Frankenstein were preparing the assembled forces. "Good heavens!" Frankenstein blurted as he eyed the Wolf.

"Heaven has little to do with this." He stepped aside and allowed everyone to get a better look at the Wolf. "Tell me, how are her friends coming along?"

Caldwell spoke first. "There have been…problems obtaining the samples from them."

"I want results, not excuses!" Alucard's face darkened. "I am going to capture that swamp creature tonight with this animal's help. Bring the monster and its mate to the lab. I want them ready by the time I return."

Alucard sat in the skiff as the patchwork creatures stepped into the water. Some vanished under the surface while others continued to wade out until they were up to their necks in brackish water. Pointing to the shore line, Alucard barked orders. "This thing may have gone onto land. Find it and bring it back to me."

The Wolf howled and leapt into the jungle. Alucard leaned back in his seat. "If this creature exists, it may provide a useful addition to my plan."

The Wolf sniffed the air carefully. The area was strange to her, but the beast didn't stop to ponder on that. She knew she had to find something; the drive to find the scent the man had given her was overwhelming. She had to do it.

Moving quickly through the underbrush, she stopped when she heard something splashing ahead. Moving in closer, she spied a green (although she was colorblind, the man had told her green) fin vanishing under the water. Snarling, she followed.

Under the water's surface was something the Wolf had never seen before. A tall, vaguely humanoid creature moved gracefully under the water. It swam like a man (not that the Wolf knew how men swam) yet also like a fish. The Wolf was silent as she watched the creature. It turned over and caught sight of her.

It broke through the water's surface like a rocket. Slashing wildly with its claws, it tore through the Wolf's arm, driving her back. Howling with rage and pain, the Wolf slashed back. The creature's hide was tough, harder than anything the Wolf had encountered before.

The force of the attack was enough to startle the creature. It blinked its large eyes in surprise. Moving back, it warily eyed both the pond and the Wolf. Before it could make a movement, Alucard's forces burst into the clearing.

Two of the patchwork men threw a net over the creature while another readied a gas grenade. The creature struggle as the pieced together humanoid pulled the pin free and lumbered over to the edge. The grenade went off in the man's hand.

With a muffled pop, the gas quickly spread out. The creature slashed the three men to pieces as it stumbled back towards the water. The Wolf, drowsy started to follow but pitched face first, dragging the creature down.

Back at the lab

Alucard smiled broadly as the creature was brought it and strapped down to the examining table. "Master, this thing killed three of our men and injured nearly a dozen more!" Igor tightened the straps.

"Spirited thing; cut it open. I wish to see how this thing operates."

Igor nodded as Caldwell entered the lab.

"I protest! This being could of great use to us alive!"

Alucard looked at her. The gaze was not friendly. At length, he spoke. "Perhaps. I still desire a sample, however. Take its blood and prepare it for me."

"Frankenstein?" The Creature raised his head as a strange figure opened the cell door.

Wolf Frankenstein stared at the being that shaped his family's legacy with a curious glance. True, the Creature had murdered or had been responsible for several deaths in his family, but for most of them he may have been innocent to some extent. "You're real." He spoke in hushed tones.

"Yes" the Creature nodded and shifted his weight. "Come to gloat or beg?"

"Neither. I had to see, had to know," he found himself struggling for the words. "For years I denied it, wrote it off as some bizarre fantasy, but now I don't know what to believe."

The Creature stood up. He was chained, but he still towered over Wolf. "Your master, who is he?"

"He calls himself Alucard. I know he has money and powers." Wolf turned to leave. Before he left the cell, he faced the Creature again. "I am truly sorry about this, but they're threatening my family. I have no choice." He silently closed the door.

The creature, unaware of another being with that name, slowly woke up. It flexed its webbed hands as it tried to feel around. Finding itself bound, the monster's confusion quickly gave way to rage. Struggling against the straps and chains, it managed to free one arm.

"Master, the monster is free!" Igor shouted as he picked up a small club. He brought it down against the monster's shoulder. Caldwell began to prepare a sedative as the monster slashed its way to freedom and stood before Igor.

"Back beast! Back!" Igor swung the club, but the creature's claws easily splintered it. With a second swipe, the creature drove Igor to the floor, moaning in pain. Caldwell dropped her needle and rushed to a secret panel.

Flinging it open, she pushed the single button before dashing back towards the lab's door. Alucard appeared in the doorway, his face grim. He did not look amused at the source of the disruption. "You harm one of my servants? Foul thing, you will be humbled!"

The creature turned to face the vampire. It showed no outwardly sign of fear, but its movements were slower, more reserved. Alucard bared his fangs. "I was planning to taste your blood tonight. This way might be more challenging." He removed his cape and casually tossed it aside.

Like an ancient grappler, Alucard sized up his opponent and waited for an opening. He lunged towards the scaly being, at the last second turning into mist. The creature slashed futilely at the unformed count.

Alucard reformed behind the creature. Swinging with an open hand, he felt something soft give way on the monster's face. The creature staggered and spun around. Hitting upward, he struck the monster, not too hard, alongside the jaw. The creature groaned through a ruined mouth and collapsed.

Alucard stepped over the body. Picking up Igor, he laid the dying man on the table. "Caldwell, fetch Frankenstein and that monster of his. I want them both prepped for surgery."

"What…are you…going to…do?" Igor wheezed through bloody lips.

"I am going to put your brain inside the body of the Frankenstein Monster!"

Frankenstein reentered the cell. The Girl had been put in there since the last time he visited. "There is no to explain, you have to come with me!"

The Creature held up his hands. They, and the Girl's, were both shackled. "Do you have a key?"

"No, but I might be able to get one!" Wolf eyed the walls carefully. "I overheard them talking. They plan to switch your brain with Igor's!"

The Wolf snarled. She didn't know why she helped the strange man. Looking around the bare cell, the Wolf remembered the forest. She wanted to go back there. Feeling around the walls, she could not feel or see anyway out. Her frustration growing, she clawed at the stone walls.

If the Wolf was capable of surprise, she might have felt it when part of the wall, ancient and rotten as it was, came away under her claws. She kept at the task, tearing away centuries old mortar and brick. After a few minutes work, she was rewarded with the sight of the full moon glaring down into her cell. She threw her head back and howled.

Wolf Frankenstein, on the other hand, felt no such triumph. He had hurried back to his room when he was summoned. Caldwell appeared at his door moments after he closed it. "Get ready for sugary immediately!" She rushed away. She shouted over her shoulder as she vanished around the corner. "I'll bring your monster, but hurry to the lab, the master wants you to perform an operation."

Wolf paled and ran a hand over his chin. Silently, he began to wash his hands.

Wolf entered the lab already in scrubs. The Creature was strapped down to the table, with Igor placed opposite him. Caldwell was shaving both their heads as Alucard stood in the back. "Dr. Frankenstein, I trust you are familiar with the concept of organ transplants?"

Seeing the operation table and the tools laid out told Wolf what was expected of him. "You mean to switch their brains?"

"Yes. I promised Igor a new body, and I can think of nothing finer than your creature. Now get to work."

Wolf readied himself for surgery. "Heaven help me, I must act now!"

While Caldwell finished preparing Igor and readied the anesthetic, Wolf began making a few markings on the Creature's head. "Have you given him the gas yet?"

"Yes of course." Caldwell snorted under her mask. "Why wouldn't I?"

"This makes my job harder." Wolf bleakly thought. Picking up a scalpel, he considered his options. He saw Alucard lurking in the background. He knew a direct action could only end with his death. "I need a distraction!"

The Wolf gazed silently at the surrounding jungle. The new scents and sights were intoxicating. There was still a feeling of unease, however, that drove the Wolf prowl. There was something, somewhere, calling her, driving her back into the building.

Seeing a lighted window, the Wolf took a running leap and jumped onto the wall. The stones were old and uneven, thus giving her makeshift handholds. Climbing up the stones, the Wolf peered in the window.

Her hate grew as she saw the figures below. She didn't know the people in the room, not by name, anyway, but for reasons she couldn't explain she needed to be in there. The glass in the window gave way with a simple push…

Caldwell dabbed a wad of cotton on Frankenstein's brow as he marked the Creature's forehead. As he steadied the scalpel, the sound of breaking glass made them both jump. "What the devil?"

Wolf turned and gasped under his surgical mask. "Another monster?"

A werewolf, he thought, climbed in through the broken window and leapt to the floor, snarling. As Alucard rushed to deal with the new intruder, Caldwell began to wheel Igor away. Alone, Wolf quickly moved to the Creature's bonds and began slicing through the leather with the scalpel.

The Creature groggily opened his eyes. He moaned slightly as Wolf wheeled the table away. "Hurry, we have to flee!"

The Girl finally pried the last manacle off as she stood up. It had taken some time, but she had not been idle. Feeling around the base of the wall, she put all of her strength into one solid shove. The wall gave way, sending up a cloud of smoke and dust as she slipped free. Hearing the sounds of violence coming from down the hall, she carefully made her way towards the commotion.

Stopping by a large iron door, she caught a glimpse of something or someone else tied up inside. Easily breaking the lock, she pulled open the door and gasped. "Another?" Her voice was raspy but it still conveyed the shock as she saw another bound figure.

Stepping into the darkened room, she was surprised to see the figure moving. Grabbing a torch from outside in the hall, she reentered the room to see what could have been thrashing under such chains. Holding the torch aloft, she gasped at the sight of the green skin and dark eyes of the creature taken from the Black Lagoon.

The creature stopped its thrashing when she brought the torch nearer, but only for a moment. Wordlessly, the Girl tore away the heavy chains that kept the monster to the floor. The monster eyed her, the expression in its milky white pupils unreadable. It brushed past her without a sound.

Alucard seethed as the Wolf and the Creature stood before him. "You dare? You dare do this in my presence?"

The Wolf snarled and lunged for him. Turning into mist, he easily avoided the attack. "Bah, you pathetic creatures are hardly worth my time!"

The Creature, still groggy from the gas, picked up an overturned chair. Alucard raised his eyebrow as the Wolf slashed at him. "You can't possibly hurt me with that antique."

"No, but I can do this!" The Creature smashed the chair against the wall. Picking up two pieces, he held them together in a shape all too familiar to the vampire.

"A cross?" Alucard reeled back in agony as the Creature forced the undead fiend back. The Wolf, however, growled and jumped at the nearest thing: the Creature. Alucard laughed as the makeshift cross was knocked aside.

"If I cannot save my servant, then at least I'll be rid of you two!" His laughter stopped when the door was flung open. "Who dares?"

The Monster entered the room. With a wordless scream, it rushed towards the vampire, claws outstretched. Before Alucard could transform his body into mist, the creature slashed his forearms to ribbons, forcing him back. "Stand aside, I command you!" Alcuard's words were the same, yet they lacked the tone. They were weaker, less confidant.

The count was blindsided when the Wolf crashed into him. The monster jumped onto the prone vampire and began slashing away at the vampire's unprotected back. The Creature, ignoring the pair, focused on the Wolf as it circled the fighting duo.

The Creature reached out and gripped the Wolf's wrists, holding them tight. The Wolf, however, decided to be free by slamming her foot into the Creature's midsection. Tearing free, the Wolf pressed her advantage and slashed at the Creature's hands.

The Creature sidestepped the clumsy attack and wrapped his arm around the werewolf's neck. Putting enough pressure to the back of the neck, the Creature dragged the Wolf away from the fight as the transformed Amira slowly passed out.

Alucard drove his fist into the monster's head. He could have changed into a bat, a wolf, or simply drifted away at any point, but he didn't care. His plans, his work, everything was ruined and he needed to unleash his fury on something.

It was a pity the monster felt the same way as him. The strange being's scales were running red as it staggered back from the vampire's inhuman strength. It began to falter, breaking away from the fight and trying to stagger towards the door. Alucard stopped his assault as the monster limp away. "Wait, it must be dying! Of course, it must need water!"

The vampire shifted into mist and enveloped the monster, blinding it. "I'll start over, but not before I've rid myself of you!"

The Creature dragged Amira into an empty room and dropped her. The Girl rushed inside. As she pointed to the Wolf, an explosion rocked the building. Motioning towards Amira and a pile of chains in the corner, the Creature carefully looked around the corner. "Chain her and get her outside. I will join you if I can."

Rushing off towards the source of the explosion, the Creature rounded a corner and vanished from the Girl's sight.

Caldwell laughed manically as she threw another chemical filled beaker against the wall. It sizzled and exploded as the liquid reacted to the flames caused by another explosion. Wolf stumbled into the room, gagging from the smoke. "What the blazes are you doing woman?"

"You think the master will let his failures soil the Earth? It is my job to make it clean! I'll get my reward when I'm ready!" She pulled a small pistol from her lab coat. "And you, Dr. Frankenstein, are a failure!"

"Give me that!" Wolf, half blinded from the smoke, moved towards her and tried to wrest the gun away. He grabbed her wrist as she struggled to shoot. Tripping over a piece of debris, he pushed her back just as she fired.

Wolf let go as Caldwell staggered away. "No, not like this!" the woman gasped as she dropped the smoking gun. "The master, fetch the master, he can make me immortal!" She slumped against the wall, clutching her wound.

Wolf simply shook his head and ran. "Poor deluded fool!" He pocketed the gun on the way out. "I have to see about the others." His thoughts drifted back towards the Creature.

The fire was spreading. Eating away at the old timbers, it quickly enveloped the living quarters and made its way towards the main lab. The monster already weakened from the fight and half-blinded from the vampire's mist, collapsed. Alucard cruelly smiled. "Yes, perhaps I'll roast you before I send you to the devil." He casually picked up the monster and held it high. "The name of Dracula shall spread across the globe!"

He felt sudden burst of white hot agony as a flaming piece of timber exploded from his chest. Dropping the monster with his useless arms, Alucard collapsed. The wooden beam had severed his spine. "Fool, don't you know you have to stake a vampire's heart to kill him?" Alucard tried to remove the stake, but his arms wouldn't budge.

The Creature looked down at the vampire, hate in his eyes. "I know." He gripped the vampire by the ankles and dragged him near the fire.

"Your horror ends now monster!" The Creature lifted the undead count up over head before slamming him down onto an exposed section of rebar, piercing his heart. Alucard howled in agony as his body slowly rotted away, leaving nothing but bones behind.

The Creature nodded at the sight. Pushing against a cracked wall, he tore his way free of the burning lab and ran off towards the jungle. Unseen by him, the monster began to crawl towards freedom.

It had just crawled free when the ceiling gave way, burying the unholy remains of Alucard under tons of stone. It tried to stand, but its legs wouldn't support the weight. Taking large handfuls of mud and muck as it moved, it, after a seemingly endless time, dragged itself to a small stream and rolled inside. The water washed over the monster's gills. It hurt, but it would heal. The monster simply sat on the bottom and allowed the water to move over it. Its thoughts were primitive, but the burning fort provoked enough reaction it knew it had to get away. The faces of those it encountered burned in its eye greater than the fort.

The Creature saw the Girl dragging Amira behind her. The werewolf had regained consciousness and thrashed against the chains. He rushed to him. The two patchwork creations briefly embraced before turning their attention to their transformed friend.

"This can't go on forever." He clenched his fists. The Wolf snarled and tried to break free of the chains, but a swift clout to the side of the animal's head knocked her down. "I'm sorry, but-" The Creature dragged Amira to a nearby stump and fastened her tightly. "This will have to do until sunrise."

Wolf Frankenstein made his way towards the river bank. He ran until his feet throbbed, then he walked. He stopped when he finally came to the river. "I'm safe?" He looked around. As he bent down to scoop up a handful of water, he failed to hear the branch breaking behind him.

"Hello senior." Lucas held a sharpened branch to the doctor's back. "Tell me, were you with those loco gringos at the fort?"

Wolf slowly stood up and faced the captain. "Yes, but I was a prisoner, just as much as you."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. Wolf pressed his advantage. "I was held captive, forced to work with them!" Pointing to his current state of dress, Wolf tightened his grip on the gun in his pocket. "I escaped as the place went up."

"Maybe, maybe, but then maybe you just say that to trick Lucas, eh?"

"Look, I see you've suffered much. How about a deal?"

Lucas lowered the stake, but not by much. "Deal? What kind of deal?"

"Do you know this jungle?"

"You want me to act as a guide, yes? Lead you out, maybe for money?"

Wolf detected the false sincerity under Lucas's words. He drew his gun. "Yes. Two thousand dollars, wired to you, provided you get me out this hellhole!" He pointed the gun at the man's chest. "And don't try anything funny either. I sympathize with your plight, but believe me, I just want to go home."

Lucas tossed the stake away and grinned. "That was all you had to say senior. Follow me, I'll have us back before tomorrow night!"

As the sun slowly rose over the jungle, the Creature and the Girl stood back and watched the werewolf thrash. It had woken up angry some time before, but they made sure to keep it secured. Holding with all their might, they kept it bound to the tree the entire night.

With an almost mechanical ease, the claws rescinded, the hair shrank, bones shifted back, and soon the familiar form of Amira sat there, bewildered. "What happened?"

The Girl pointed to the smoldering remains of the fort. "Did I do all of that?" Amira gasped.

"Partially, but you had help." The Creature helped her up and wrapped her in a lab coat he took from the ruins. They looked at the smoking ruins.

"Is Dracula's evil forever?" Amira saw the bleached bones of Alucard, broken and ground to dust in the rubble. "A daughter, a son, how many more must we contend with?"

"As many as we have to." The Creature slung a pack containing what few supplies he could save from the fire. "Let's go home."

The end

This was based partially on the following films:

**Son of Frankenstein** (1939). Dir. Rowland V. Lee, Universal Pictures.

**Son of Dracula** (1943). Dir. Robert Siodmak, Universal Pictures.

**Creature from the Black Lagoon**(1954). Dir. Jack Arnold, Universal Pictures.

With all characters belonging to their respective owners and no copyright infringement intended


	8. The Invisible Dead

Screaming Dead 8

1938

It was a fairly typical fall in most respects. The seasons changed over with little fuss, and life in countryside stayed more or less the same. The only thing of note, at least the only thing that would come into play later, was a bus accident.

The accident itself was of a fairly typical affair. The driver lost control on a rain slicked road and crashed into a power line. By itself, common, but there was something that made this crash special: there was a survivor.

His name was Dan McCormick, and what made him special also brought attention from some interested parties. He alone survived the crash that claimed twenty people. When the rescue crews stood by, waiting for the power to be cut so they enter the burning vehicle, Dan calmly walked out with only a few scratches.

Dan had made his living as a circus performer, dubbed 'Dan the Dynamic Man'. As a highlight, he would often grip a live wire on stage. He brushed off any formal questions and did his best to disappear.

His misadventure was noticed, however, by more than a few interested parties…

"Unbelievable!" Dr. Paul Rigas folded the newspaper as he scanned the headline. "Twenty people, dead of various injuries, but one man walks out with nary a scratch!"

"Impressive, isn't it?" Dr. John Lawrence entered the lab. The two of them had been busy at work studying the next step in human evolution. "I saw the same article in the Times. Tell me Paul, are you up for a trip to the countryside?"

"So Mr. McCormick, why exactly are you here?" Amira glanced up from the desk.

"It's like I said over the phone ma'am, I'm awfully nervous, and I think you may be the only one who can help me."

Amira nodded. The Creature and his patchwork bride were out, leaving her to run the Asylum. "It's different, being in charge. I'm still not sure I'm up to it." She had swallowed her doubts and focused on the problems in front of her. "Mr. McCormick, we specialize in unusual cases. From what you've told me, I think we can help."

A large grin broke out on the larger man's face. "Thank you miss, thank you so much!"

Doctors Rigas and Lawrence sat and lunched at a small pub, but both men were thinking different thoughts. Lawrence's mind was on the constantly changing aspect of humanity.

"Think of it Paul, with this one man we could be one step closer to making mankind free from death. Think of all the work we could accomplish if we could be free from fear of injury or illness!"

Rigas merely nodded and smiled as he sipped his lager. Inwardly, his mind was on something else. "True, true, but think of what I could accomplish if I didn't have to share it with you! I'll find this McCormick myself."

"Say John, I remembered a fellow that lives near here, a chemist from what I recall. I bet he could help our research."

"Really? Well, I suppose…"

"I'll go and see him, that way at least one of us can see McCormick. I'll wire you if I have anything to report."

He finished his drink and left the pub before John could protest. Once outside, Paul began to hatch his plan. "If my sources were correct, Frank Griffin should be the key that helps me unlock the mystery of all of this!"

Frank Griffin may not have been the answer to any question, but he was exactly what Rigas needed. To be exact, it was Frank's older brother Jack that was the one he really wanted, but with Jack's passing it was Frank who received all his research. Research that Rigas was willing to pay any price for, a fact that Frank was all too aware of.

Jack Griffin had created a process that rendered him invisible to the human eye. It also drove him violently insane. Frank, upon receiving his notes, had tried to duplicate the process.

Whereas Jack had experimented with an obscure chemical he dubbed monocaine, Frank had refined the extract. Dubbing it duocaine, Frank had little success with test animals, but humans had proven harder to restore to visibility. It was his strings of failures that had forced him into becoming the camp doctor for a small mining company deep with the hills.

The Radcliffe Mines was not an unpleasant place to work, but Frank longed for a chance to prove his brother right. Rigas's appearance at his door, with promises of fame and fortune, were too good to pass up.

"Is it ready?" Rigas shook the rain from his coat as he entered the small office.

"Yes, yes, but are you sure you want to go through with this?" Griffin looked over his lab. The mining camp provided him little money, and he felt no confidence at the meager setup.

"Invisible, I will be able to slip into the asylum and steal the information." He had tracked McCormick down to the small institute. He kept this from Lawrence, who was no doubt making his way there. "I have been able to stall that fool, but only for so long. After tonight, it won't matter!"

Rigas rolled up his sleeve as Griffin readied the injections. "It should work faster now." Griffin administered the shot. Rigas began to fade away almost at once. "It works!"

"Of course it worked you fool!" Rigas snapped. The now empty suit walked around the office. "Amazing, I feel no different, and yet…" He picked up a glass and waved it before a mirror. "Incredible!"

"Quite, but what now?"

"Now? Now Dr. Griffin, you are going to drive me to an asylum and wait for me outside. I won't able to travel like this," the sleeve moved up and down, "and if nude I'd freeze. I'll have to be naked for my plan to succeed, so bring some heavy blankets in your car."

Griffin silently nodded and began to prepare. "What have I gotten myself in to?"

Rigas moved quietly around the asylum grounds. He left his clothes in the back of Griffin's car. The air was chilly, but he was able to slip inside the main building without too much hassle. "Even if I fail to bring McCormick back with me, I still use his corpse as the building block to my plan. The secrets in his DNA alone will cement my name among the immortals of science!"

While the invisible and naked man was prowling the corridors, Dr. Lawrence was currently facing his own problems. "What?"

"You heard me Dr. Lawrence. It is not our policy to discuss our patients with anyone, no matter the amount of initials after their names." Amira stared down the older man.

"I understand that, but this is important! My partners and I are engaged in research that could propel mankind forward by hundreds maybe even thousands of years! I have to see this human dynamo, to see how he survived such an event!"

"And I say he's resting. If you want to speak with him when he is discharged, you can leave your contact information with the front desk." When Lawrence left, Amira leaned back in her chair and sighed.

Gazing at the photo of Dr. Seward, she carefully picked it up. "Did I do the right thing in reopening this place? I've tried to make it a place where people can be helped, but what about this case? Or mine? So far all I've done is locked myself up during the full moon and nothing else. Can there be a cure for me? Or for anyone here?"

Rigas walked down the hallways. His bare feet padded softly on the cool tile floor. "Where could they be keeping that half-wit?"

He strolled past guards and orderlies. He briefly considered flicking one of the orderlies' hats off, but he stopped himself. "No, no sense in raising an alarm at the moment, but I bet I know where I can find the truth!"

Rigas stood outside the main office. "Amira Steward, eh? She must have some records in that office somewhere!"

He reached out to touch the doorknob, but stopped when he heard a voice inside. Kneeling, he put his ear to the keyhole and listened as a young woman began to dictate into a machine.

"So far my every attempt at finding a cure for my condition has failed. The flowers that stave off the change work, but I fear I am building up a resistance to chemicals and soon they will be ineffective."

"Condition? Chemicals?" Rigas leaned in closer as Amira continued her dictation.

"The full moon is drawing closer. Note to self, secure the cell and increase the guard. While I have the utmost confidence in the staff, I still fear I may escape and cause harm to someone."

"Some kind of manic episodes, eh? I think I could use that." Rigas sat down by the door until Amira left. He slipped inside before she could fully shut the door. Treading carefully across the thick carpet, he began to search through the filing cabinets.

His search paid off within minutes. Slipping out of the office, he made his way down the corridors until he found the right room. "Mr. McCormick?"

"What? Who's there?" A sleepy voice called out from within the cell.

"A friend, I've come to get you out."

"A friend? What are you talking about?" Dan opened the door and peered out into the seemingly empty hall. "What is this, a joke?"

"No joke, I assure you!" Rigas picked up a nearby vase for effect. "I was like you once. I came here for help, and look what they did to me!"

Dan gasped. "How?"

"That Seward woman! She's a quack and a charlatan! She seeks out people like us and experiments on them for her own purposes!"

"I don't believe it!" But from Dan's tone, Rigas could tell he was starting to come around.

"Believe it! If you stay here, you'll end up like me, or worse!"

"What can I do?"

"Depends, what exactly can you do?"

Dan thought for a moment. "They called Dynamic Dan, the Living Electro, in the carnivals. I used to channel electricity through my hands without any issue. I think I can slip out of here later."

"Good, but not tonight. The guards will be suspicious if I'm not found in cell. Stay here until I send for you, understand?"

"Gotcha!"

Rigas slipped away. "Excellent! The fool trusts me, but that's not enough. I've got to show to him that Seward woman is dangerous, and I think I know how. If I time this right, I can have McCormick at my side willingly and that fool Seward out of the way forever!" He would have laughed, but caught himself as he walked past the guard's desk. "Soon, soon I'll be free of everything and rich beyond my dreams!"

Rigas opened the car door. Griffin nearly yelled in shock as the car shifted under the new weight. "Drive you fool, and hand me a blanket. I'm freezing to death!"

"Well, what did you find out?" Griffin tossed the wool blanket into the back seat, where it moved and shifted by itself.

"McCormick is there, and my idiot partner is planning to visit him tomorrow. I have to that man. His body chemistry is the most unique of all I've ever encountered. Why, a few drops of his blood alone could make me rich! If I can study, I could produce monsters the world has never seen!" At his pun, Rigas broke down into a laughing fit.

"Fantastic, but when are you going to change back?" Griffin grew nervous when Rigas went silent.

"Change back? Ah, of course. Not tomorrow for sure, too much of my plan hinges on my not being seen."

The ride back was silent.

The next day

"So, this is the famed Seward Asylum." Dr. Lawrence strolled the grounds with Amira.

"Yes, we've reopened it, mostly to aide people like Mr. McCormick." Amira felt uneasy. Ever since yesterday, she had a strange feeling, like someone was standing behind her.

The Creature and the Girl had returned from their trip from the continent that morning. The Creature had taken a particular interest in McCormick's condition. "I hope we can find a way to help him."

Screams interrupted her. An orderly rushed past them. He didn't even stop to turn around as Amira shouted after him. "What's wrong?"

"Commotion in the exercise yard ma'am!"

Amira excused herself and followed the orderly. Several inmates were in a panic in the small yard used for exercise. "What is the meaning of this?" One of the doctors tried in vain to restore order.

"I don't know! One minute everything is fine, the next everyone started screaming!"

"Something grabbed me!" one inmate complained. Other voices chimed in, telling of whispered threats and inanimate objects moving and talking.

Amira held up her hands. The inmates stopped their movements. "Mr. Martin, take them back inside. Dr. Howard, restore order, please."

Letting the doctors and orderlies take the patients back inside, Amira paused. "Laughter?" She heard a light chuckle coming from behind a bush, but a careful glance revealed nothing.

"Everything alright?" Lawrence asked when she finally returned.

She plastered a smile on her face. "Of course, nothing to be alarmed about, now where were we?"

Rigas had to bite down on his hand to smother his laughter. "Oh, that was rich! I may keep doing this just for fun!" He tiptoed across the grass and ducked inside the main building.

"Now that I've riled up the crazies, I think the director is due for a few surprises…"

Rigas slipped by McCormick's room. "Dan, are you there?"

"What? Oh, it's you again." Dan opened the door and gestured. "Come inside before people catch me talking to myself."

"Dan, the director is going insane. You have to escape before you end up like me or worse!"

Dan nervously ran a hand through his hair. "Alright, alright; they said they were going to run some tests in a lab on the other side of the property. I can make a break for it while they're testing me."

"Excellent"

Rigas walked carefully around the grounds. His bare feet left impressions in the tall grass, and the freshly watered lawn made it hell to walk on concrete without leaving tracks. "I've got to get rid of that Seward woman, but how?" Thoughts raced through his mind.

"Sabotage those tests? Possible; frame her for something? Maybe…maybe."

He made his way quietly towards the outlaying building and slipped inside through an open basement window.

Inside the lab, Dan McCormick was strapped inside a large rubber suit with only his hands exposed. Thick stone walls separated him from the control booth. The Creature and the Girl stood inside the booth and readied the equipment.

Dr. Lawrence and Amira watched intently as McCormick gripped a live wire. "Dan, are you feeling any pain?"

"No sir, I don't feel anything!" Dan's voice, though muffled, came in on the intercom.

"Outstanding!" Lawrence beamed. "I just wish Paul were here to see this."

"Where is your partner by the way?" Amira asked as the voltage was increased.

"Strange. I haven't seen him since we arrived. He says he's working on something similar, but he won't tell me what or where he is."

"Odd, but I'm sure he'll turn up."

Rigas marveled at the lab as he peered through the small window. "Amazing set up, I'd love to stay and examine it some more, but I've got to get my meal ticket out of here."

He stepped back as the door swung open. A figure in a white surgical gown exited the door, pushing a cart filled with fried cables. Rigas stopped the door from closing and slipped inside the lab. He gasped audibly at the sight of the Creature. He quickly clamped a hand over his mouth, but the Creature glanced in his direction.

Rigas shuffled over to a corner and crouched. "Perhaps my stories of experimentations were true after all!"

Electricity arched between two large spheres as Dan gripped one of them. "I feel something now!" He shouted.

"Incredible!" the assistant entered the lab again, this time carrying several monitors.

"I'll wait until they stop. I've never have a better opportunity to steal that fool!"

Amira nodded with satisfaction as Dan stepped off the platform and removed the heavy suit. Dr. Lawrence spoke over the intercom. "Good work today Mr. McCormick. I think we've made progress."

As Dan handed the suit pieces to the Girl, Lawrence looked back at Amira. "The amount of voltage he can withstand is amazing, but I'm not sure what the effect would be on his mind. I'd like to do more testing, with your permission, of course."

"Of course." Amira absently waved her hand as she examined a calendar. All calendars at the asylum were carefully marked with the exact dates of the full moon. "Two days" she muttered under her breath.

As Dan rested on a bench, Rigas sat down next to him. "Don't be alarmed, but how soon can you run?"

Dan nervously glanced around. "I don't know. You're right about that director, she's nuts! She keeps going on about something in two days."

"Ah, that must be when they plan to operate on you, to see how you do what you do."

Dan looked wild eyed at the corner. "They're going to increase the voltage. I think if I soak up enough, I can discharge. When they zap me tomorrow, be outside with a car. I can follow you then." Rigas, though unseen, smiled broadly.

The next day saw Dan back in the lab, this time with no protective suit. He had insisted he didn't need one. "Come on doc, I've taken more juice than that in a Texas thunderstorm!"

The Creature sat back at the controls. "I don't like this. He is getting too wild. Is he storing the electricity?"

The Girl shrugged. She tapped the glass meters before her. "You're right, he is taking more current, but he isn't discharging it."

Suddenly, the Girl pitched forward. The Creature leapt to his feet as a mocking laugh echoed off the high ceiling. "Now Dan!" cried the voice.

Dan stepped off the platform, lighting arching off his body. With a simple thrust of his arm, he blew a hole in the wall. The protective suit seemingly flew over him and dressed him before he climbed into a waiting van.

Amira rushed towards the lab. "What the devil was that?"

The Creature seethed as the Girl gingerly rubbed her head. "I don't know."

Dan laughed madly as the car peeled away. "That was amazing!"

"Thank you" Rigas lit a cigarette. Dan marveled as he saw the smoke enter his lungs and exit. "Drive us to the mine Griffin."

Frank nervously wiped his brow as the car speed down the back roads. "What if we're spotted?"

"Not an issue. Pull off toward the clearing. I took the liberty of procuring us another means of transportation, one the local authorities wouldn't recognize." Rigas smugly smoked as Griffin pulled off the main road.

True to his word, there was a Radcliffe truck parked under a grove. Griffin parked his car as McCormick and Rigas got out and entered the truck. "Wait, are we going back to the mine?"

"Of course Griffin, we need you to restore me to visibility." Rigas opened the door for McCormick, who lumbered in his oversized protective suit. "I might need a fall guy too, in case this experiment goes south on me." He thought the last part.

Another day had passed, and yet no sign of McCormick had been found. Robberies had been occurring all through the countryside, yet there was never a single clue as to the thief's identity.

At the Asylum, Lawrence was beside himself with worry. "I just don't understand it." While searching through Rigas's belongings, he found a series of letters addressed to a 'F. Griffin'. "You think this could mean something?" Detective Sampson of Scotland Yard had joined them at Amira's insistence.

"Maybe," Sampson held the papers up before a lamp. A watermark was visible in the light. "A stylized 'r' and this stock feels far too rich for a simple office worker."

Amira entered the study. "The watermark is the seal of the Radcliffe family."

"Owners of the Radcliffe Mines? Odd, but I'll call over and have their employee records sent to me. If there is a Griffin there, we'll find him!" Sampson was a detective cut from the old cloth. He had been to the asylum before, often to confer regarding a new mystery, but he always found the solutions himself. Amira was confident about his success, but she had to excuse herself.

Officially she told the older man of urgent business that would keep her way for most of the night. The sun was low but still out as she made her way across the grounds towards the small bunker on the edge of the forest.

She had unlocked the door when she heard the sound of feet walking through the tall grass. "Who's there?"

Before she could turn around, a large hand clamped down over her mouth, forcing a doped rag into her mouth. She struggled vainly, but passed out before she could scream.

"I don't like this." Griffin paced around the small lab. "Why did you bring her?"

Rigas, an indention in an easy chair the only evidence of his existence, chuckled. Griffin was growing to hate that sound. "Sweetening the pot, as it were. McCormick must believe me fully, and if the 'evil' director were discovered sneaking around the mines, then his faith in me would be immeasurable."

Griffin ran a hand over his jaw. The stubble was turning into a full beard. "This is getting out of hand Rigas. Look, the sun is almost down, why don't we dump her in the woods and leave? You can conduct your research with that simpleton elsewhere surely?"

"No, we have to remove our pursuers first, and I must humiliate that fool Lawrence! Imagine, that moron thinking himself the scientific superior to me? Laughable!"

Griffin glanced around the lab. "Speaking of morons, where did that rubber suited twit get to?"

"Oh, he's about to discover his prize!" Rigas' laughter grew.

Amira woke with a start. She was dimly aware of the surrounding area as she became fully aware of the moon. "Oh no!" She scrambled to her feet as McCormick stomped across the work yard towards her.

"Oh no, you're not getting away from me!" He boasted through the heavy rubber suit. "You thought you could cut me open? Well, guess again!"

"Get away you fool, I don't have time-" Amira choked out before doubling over.

"What is this, some kind of cheap trick? I've seen better acts in the freak show lady!" Dan loomed over her, but something cut through his electric addled mind. "Hair?"

Amira, hunched over as she was, paid no attention to Dan as thick hair pushed through and covered her body. Her dress easily tore itself to ribbons as muscles bunch and swelled under her skin. Bones reshaped themselves as her jaw broke and reformed.

The Wolf reared back and howled. Dan began to regret his moving closer. "Stay away!" His hands glowed with energy, but the Wolf was unfazed. With a savage swipe of her claws, she neatly sliced through most of the protective rubber.

With a startled cry, Dan grabbed the Wolf's arm and blasted several thousand volts into the unholy creature. The Wolf, blinded with pain, tore free of his grasp and bounded off.

Dan stood motionless for several minutes. The act of discharging so much electrical current produced a calming effect on him. "What just happened?"

"What was that?" Griffin almost jumped out his skin when he heard the first wolf howling.

"Just some dog, nothing to worry about." Rigas slipped on a lab coat for warmth. "Now, when McCormick comes back, I think you should administer the cure. To give him hope, you understand."

Griffin screamed as he glanced out the window. Without explanation to Rigas, he dashed towards the back door. "What the devil?" Rigas turned to glance out the front window to see what had frightened the man when a massive wolf crashed into the office.

The Wolf snarled and sniffed the air. Rigas had doffed the coat and remained still. "I'm sure it's just sniffing out that coward Griffin…" Rigas tried to reassure himself as he inched toward the back door. Jiggling the handle only served to attract the Wolf's attention.

Unknown to Rigas, Griffin had barricaded the door behind him with a large pylon. Rigas stayed perfectly still as the Wolf crept closer, sniffing the air. The Wolf growled before biting at the air, inches away from Rigas's face.

The Wolf suddenly turned around. Rigas broke into a sprint, but crashed into a coat rack. He tried to untangle himself, but the Wolf was on him in an instant, biting and clawing. Rigas bled out as the Wolf's jaw tightened around his neck. With her adversary dead, the Wolf howled in savage delight to the moon and stars above.

Griffin, his mind racing, climbed into his car and drove off, nearly crashing several times. "I have the formula and the notes. I've proven it can work." His hysteria was quickly replaced by a manic glee. "I can sell my formula now and be rich!" His laughter carried off through the night as he sped away.

The next day

There were questions aplenty. The body of Rigas was the hardest to explain, but both Sampson and Lawrence accepted the 'wild wolf broke in and killed him' theory. Dan was another matter.

His story of Amira's transformation into a monster was passed off as a delusion brought by his overexposure to electricity. "From what we've determined, you can only absorb a limited mount before your mind is affected." The Creature explained things to Dan as he rested.

Amira, recuperating in her own quarters, was less upset about Rigas's death, but more about her loss of control. "I knew when the full moon was, I should have prepared better!"

The Girl placed a hand on her shoulder. Amira accepted it, but the Creature's words were stronger. "We all have inner monsters. How we deal with them is what makes you human."

Amira glanced out at the lawn as the morning sun peaked over the trees. "You're right. The wolf inside me can not control my actions anymore. I have to defeat it." The light gave her strength as she felt her resolve growing. "I will be cured of this, one way or another, I swear!"

The end

This was based partially on the following films:

**Man Made Monster** (1941). dir. George Waggner, Universal Pictures

**Invisible Man Returns** (1940). dir. Joe May, Universal Pictures

All characters belonging to their respective owners, all rights reserved


	9. Jungle of Doom

Screaming Dead 9

1939

Some years ago, back when the treasures of Egypt hadn't been ripped from their resting place and hauled away to foreign museums to be gawked at and gather dust, there were still men who wanted a piece of history for their own reasons. Blackie Cole, officially a businessman, but more commonly referred to as a racketeer, was one of those men. Steve Banning, officially an archaeologist, but commonly referred to as a grave robber, was hired by Cole.

Banning's task was to find the tomb of Princess Ananka. Not an easy feat, even for an accomplished thief. With his frequent partner Babe Jensen and Cole's agent the 'Great' Solvani, Banning was equipped, financed, and set out to the desert to find the lost tomb.

Cables were sent and received. Hopes were high and reports were positive. The last cable mentioned a great find. Due to weather and the authorities, the team was flying over South America. That was the last time anyone saw Banning, Jensen, or Solvani.

Until three weeks ago.

Blackie Cole may not have been the typical image of what people thought of when they imaged a jungle explorer. Short and wide, he wheezed with every swing of his machete. Behind him were the only two people he trusted. Professor Gibbs; Cole never learned his first name, a tittering older man with glasses that seemed incapable of staying on his face. The other, carrying more equipment than either man was Gibbs's assistant, Kitty Caroll.

Caroll, the youngest member of the group by far, grunted under the weight of the food, water, and various scientific equipment. "Not to sound disrespectful sir, but what are we looking for again?"

"The lab of Katherine Caldwell." Gibbs moved a branch out of the way. It smacked Kitty directly in the face as he let it go once he passed by. "Mr. Cole heard of her research and thinks it might tie into his own interest, as well as mine."

"Over here!" Cole shouted from up the trail. "I found something!"

"Caldwell was working with a Dr. Frankenstein, brilliant fellow from what I hear, and they were close to cracking the secrets mankind has been searching for since he first crawled out of the muck and declared himself human." Kitty had ignored nearly everything the older man had been saying, but took the speech as a good time to drop the many backpacks that they saddled her with and gaze around the clearing.

"Wow, what a place!" The words seemed inadequate. The ruined lab, almost completely hidden by the jungle, stuck out like a rotten limb. Grass and vines were making inroads in covering the structure up, but it was like nature itself was cowed by the contents of the lab.

"This is the lab, I'd bet my gold teeth on it!" Cole slapped his thigh. Sheathing his machete, the older American stomped towards the building. He had barely taken a few steps when he vanished.

"Mister Cole!" Gibbs rushed towards his employer's last appearance. He stopped as he neared a gaping hole in the ground. "Are you alright?"

"Better than alright!" Cole shouted from the hole. Cole cackled as he limped towards something he never thought he would see again. A ruined airplane sat gathering dust before him with two marked graves. "I never thought I'd see you again!" He ignored the graves and poked inside the plane. A large crate, thick with grime and mold, sat unmolested in the hold. Cole couldn't contain his mirth.

Amira Seward sighed as she flipped through her mail. Frankenstein's creation and his mate had left. Not permanently, of course, but their absence was still keenly felt. Her return to life still left her confused, but not so weak that she was unable to see visitors.

Marta Solvani sat across from her in Dr. Seward's parlor. The young woman nervously sipped her tea. "Thank you for speaking with me today miss."

"My pleasure, but what exactly did you require my services for?"

Marta cleared her throat. "My father was a magician. Not a successful one, sadly; he often did extra work for some questionable characters. Some years ago, he was hired by a gangster named Blackie Cole to oversee an expedition into some remote part of North Africa. That was the last time I ever saw him."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thank you, but I received this in the mail a few days ago." She slipped a badly rumpled postcard from her purse and placed it in Amira's hands. It was a fairly cheap postcard of a generic jungle bird. On the flipside were scribbling in a shaky hand. "'Dear Marta, I hope you are find. The box is not important. Jackals hunt the night. Beware the seven hills; Yours, dad.' "Well, this is a bit confusing. Did you think your father is alive?"

"I honestly don't know. Dad always considered himself a sneak. The code he was trying to send doesn't make any sense I mean, I don't know of any box or any jackals."

"Maybe it's a trick? Some confidence game maybe?"

"I thought that too, but the postmark is from South America. Dad always flew through Rio." She cast her eyes down. "That was part of his cover, you see. When he was smuggling he would fly through Rio to fence his goods."

"So you think he faked his death?"

"Maybe, but I'm not sure."

"Your case sounds interesting, but wouldn't this be a matter for the police?"

Marta shook her head. "If I involved the police, they would arrest Dad for sure. If this is a con, I have to know why."

Amira glanced at the letter. The full moon was several weeks away, hopefully giving her a breathing spot. "I'll accept. We can leave on the first flight out."

"Well, this has to be the find of the century!" Blackie Cole beamed. The contents of the plane had been dragged, mostly by Kitty, up to the ruined remains of the lab. "But what puzzles me is how the plane landed where it did."

"It seems easy enough to decipher Mister Cole." Professor Gibbs picked up a mildewed log book. "According to what little I could read, it seems they ran into a horrible storm. Crashing into the thick undergrowth, Dr. Frankenstein may have found the plane and bodies and buried them."

"Makes sense enough, but what did you find inside?" a greedy gleam flashed across Cole's face.

"Ah, now that is the real find!" Gibbs directed the older man to another table set up in the ruined lab. A tarp kept most of the jungle out, but not the heat. "Your men were successful in finding the tomb of the princess."

Cole almost started to drool. "Was there anything in her coffin?"

"Well, not the usual treasure if that's what you're looking for I'm afraid. I did however find a large cache of tanna leaves. Remarkably well preserved too. I'm rather surprised as I thought the leaves would have moldered in such conditions."

"Never mind that, where are the leaves?" Cole grabbed Gibbs by the labels.

"Why, Kitty had taken them to the building's interior. They were much too fragile to leave in the open."

Cole relaxed. "Ah, of course, how thoughtful of you." Composing himself, he slicked back his hair. "I think I'll drop by. Those leaves sound fascinating."

"Good evening Miss Solvani, Miss Seward." A richly accented voice spoke from the shadows. Both women turned and regarded the approaching man with distrust.

"Do I know you?" Marta raised an eyebrow.

"Not personally, no, but allow me to rectify that. My name is Professor Andoheb. I am a professor of history at the University of Cairo."

"Charmed to meet you professor, but why are you on a lonely airfield in England in the middle of the night?"

"I will explain. I have been searching for some time for the lost tomb of Ananka. I believe the young lady's father may have found it."

"I don't know!" Marta blurted out. "I haven't seen my father in years, and I don't know anything about a princess, missing or otherwise."

Andoheb nodded and held up his hand. "I meant no offensive madam, but you see, I recently rediscovered the lost tomb myself. The princess's body was nowhere to be found and there was evidence of tomb robbers. Naturally I was loath to involve the authorities without any stronger evidence, but as you two are involved in the search for the missing party, I would be honored to join you."

"That's all well and good professor, but how exactly did you know where we were and what our plans were?" Amira stepped forward.

"Allay your suspicions, please. The former I learned in the village, where I was staying on an unrelated matter. As for the latter, idle gossip revealed that you two were in a hurry to a far off land, plus in my own search the name of Steve Banning came up as a person of interest. Research lead to the only person who might know, the daughter of the Great Solvani. It seemed logical that we pool our resources."

Amira and Marta huddled together for a moment. "It sounds too good to be true, plus I don't trust that attitude of his." Marta eyed him warily.

"I agree, but I have a feeling that left alone he might prove to be a bigger issue. With us we can keep an eye on him."

Walking towards the older man, Amira stuck out her hand. "Very well professor, we welcome your companionship."

"Splendid. I've already taken the liberty of loading the plane with sufficient gear for a safari. We can leave without delay."

Correctly suspected by the two women, Andoheb had a rather large secret. He was a professor and he had been searching for the princess Ananka, but his true motives were quite different. Among his many titles, Andoheb was also a high priest in an ancient order.

Centuries ago, when the pharaohs ruled like gods, the Princess Ananka ruled with a fair hand; but even princesses are captive to their fates. Ananka had a lover, a warrior in her army named Kharis. If Kharis had been of noble blood there would have been no issues, but as a peasant he would never rise higher than a low level officer.

As such the pair hid their love; at least they thought they did. From the Hill of the Seven Jackals they were watched. A royal taking a lover from the lower classes was hardly as scandalous as historians would have recorded; indeed it was seen almost as a necessity. When Ananka grew ill and died, however, things became serious.

Maddened with grief, Kharis broke into Ananka's tomb and spirited her away to the Hill of the Seven Jackals. Kharis had been searching for a way to bring his love back and it was there he thought he would find it. Tanna leaves, taken from a rare plant, could be turned into a potion that would, it was written, stave off death and more.

Kharis was apprehended before he could mix the potion. For his blasphemy he was condemned to a living death. Buried alive and without the proper rituals to see his soul to the other side, Kharis was made into Ananka's protector, with the head of the order keeping watch over Kharis. The protector of Kharis was a duty that had been passed down from master to student in an unbroken line ever since.

Andoheb looked at the large box. When the two women were engaged in other matters, he gently tapped the wood. "Soon, soon"

Blackie Cole grinned like a child with a new toy. Before him was a pile of the legendary tanna leaves. "I get this and Frankenstein's equipment. Who says life is unfair?"

Kitty entered the lab. "Oh, I'm sorry sir, I hadn't realized you were still here."

Cole glanced at his watch. He had been staring at the leaves for over an hour. "Well, time flies when you're having such fun." He ignored her and refocused on the leaves. "I've got them, now what? The stories and research are too vague! If I mess this up, I could be killed, or worse. I need a guinea pig." As the words formed in his brain he saw Kitty. A new idea formed, a thoroughly wicked one as he gathered up a small sample of the leaves and went to find Gibbs.

The Creature, were it given to human emotions, would have sighed with annoyance. The last time the pink skinned things invaded the Black Lagoon, things had gone rather badly. Seeing the new group brought back memories of fire and pain. Spying the two males and one female, the Creature slipped back into the murky water. If they stayed away there would be no issue, but as the sunlight danced on the Creature's claws it was reminded on how long it had been since it had dined on humans.

"Are you sure about this?" Kitty eyed the machine in front of her warily.

"Of course I'm sure!" Gibbs absently waved his hand as he finished hooking the large coiled machine up to the generator.

"Cut the chatter, I have to know if these things work!" Cole groused.

Kitty had been injected with the extract of the tanna leaves. The legends had mentioned certain rites to be performed and only under certain conditions if the immortality was to be achieved. Cole figured it would be easier to have Frankenstein's equipment substitute for the stars.

Kitty took a quick breath as the machine powered up. Before she could exhale a bolt of energy shot out and enveloped her. She felt no pain, only an intense tingling sensation. When the ray stopped, the tingling increased. "Professor, what happened?"

Gibbs and Cole stepped out from the machine and gasped. "Kitty…Ms. Caroll, how do you feel?"

"Fine I suppose, but a little giddy."

"You idiot!" Cole's shock gave way to anger. "You must have fouled things up somehow! She's not immortal, I just know it!"

"Wait, that's what you were trying to do?" Kitty tried to move, but Gibbs held her down.

"Kitty, please, you don't need to stand up now, why don't you take a rest?"

"Stop coddling me!" A cold bolt of fear went through her. "Wait, what happened? Am I burned? Let me see!"

Cole cruelly laughed at her words as Gibbs stuttered. "Now, really, it isn't as bad as it may seem, in fact it may be a blessing."

"Let me see!" She tore a hand free from the frayed restraint. She reached for Gibbs's collar but stopped. "Where's my arm?" The appendage felt fine and she could tell it was still there as she flexed her fingers. The only drawback was that it was invisible. "What did you do to me?"

"I'm not sure. The tanna leaves, mixed with the weird energies of the machine, could have caused this reaction; perhaps some epidermal rejection, maybe." He continued to muse. He freed her from the restraints. Kitty unsteadily walked forward until she found a polished sheet of metal to act as a mirror. It was harder to move as she couldn't see her feet anymore.

"So what, you made me invisible?" She glanced down. She could still see her shirt and pants, but now they seemed to be wrapped around nothing. Her pant legs ended mid-calf, leaving her looking like she was floating.

"You fool, you ruined it!" Cole snarled. "Can't you do anything right?"

"Now sir, we have plenty of tanna leaves left and I'm sure Ms. Caroll would assist." Gibbs turned towards his assistant. All he saw was a pile of clothes on the floor. "Huh."

Kitty staggered out into the jungle. She still couldn't see her feet, making walking difficult, but nude she could slip away from the men. "Great, now I'm naked and in the jungle. At least those two idiots won't bother me anymore." She walked to the edge of the lagoon. Dropping a pebble into the brackish water, her situation slowly dawned on her. "What if I'm stuck like this forever?"

That was when she saw the eyes staring back at her from the water. She thought they might have been a trick of the light, but she changed her mind when she saw the scaly green hand break the water's surface.

She dashed back to the lab, suddenly unconcerned with her nudity.

The Creature moved onto the shore. It was strange; there was nothing there, yet there was the unmistakable scent of a human. The Creature felt this bore investigating. It slinked through the dense brush, following the footprints.

"I'm telling you, there was a monster in the lake!" Kitty, wrapped in a lab coat, insisted.

"Yeah, and I'm Ty Cobb." Cole snorted. "You sure know how to pick them doc."

"Now Mister Cole, if Ms. Caroll swore she saw something I have no reason to doubt her." Gibbs tried to sound sincere, but his tone came across as patronizing.

"But there was something in the lake, a big green fish monster, I'm sure of it!"

"Nonsense!" Cole spat.

"Actually, she might be right. I recall stories of a kind of gilled man living in this area. If we could capture him, why, think of the scientific rewards?"

"Or actual ones. I tell you doc, I think this trip might be the most important one I ever made!" Cole rubbed his hands together, thoughts of profit improving his mood.

Amira had been quiet for most of the plane ride over. The full moon was still some time off, but her concerns were for the others with her. Marta was worried about her father, but Professor Andoheb puzzled her. The man fretted over his crate. He also had a peculiar odor about him. He didn't stink, rather like he was perfumed with some odd fragrance.

Once the plane landed in Brazil, the professor was the first one to suggest searching the jungle. "Are you sure my father is there?" Marta seemed skeptical when Anodheb pointed towards a large section of the jungle on his map.

"I know the area." Amira countered. "It will not be an easy trek, and there are things in that place I'd rather not run into again."

"Poppycock, we have provisions for weeks, weapons to stop an army, what else could we need?"

"I suppose you have a point." Amira eyed the large crate carefully. The odor seemed to be coming from within the wooden frame. "Speaking of equipment, I think we could make better time if we just left this box behind." She waited for his response.

"Don't be ridiculous, that contains vital equipment!" Andoheb was flustered. "We are taking it with us."

"Amira has a point. This thing is very heavy and we'll be hard pressed to carry ourselves through the jungle, much less dragging this thing behind us."

"That's assuming we can find a guide to take us." Amira pointed to a group of men staring at them from the bar. "I think we've made too much a scene."

Despite Amira's worries, they did manage to find a guide of sorts. The only man left at the last bar in town to be exact. Everyone else had fled the moment they learned where Amira and company wanted to go. Lucas, his breath reeking of cheap whiskey, looked up from the bar. "Hey, don't I know you?"

Amira stepped back. "You must be mistaken, but we would like to hire you."

"Hey, for two pretty ladies, Lucas and the _Rita II_ are always available!"

Thus an accord was struck. Lucas, while still tipsy, had their equipment loaded onto his tramp steamer and they set sail before dawn. The whole time Amira felt uneasy. "This whole thing makes me nervous. There's just too many wild cards to deal with. I'll have to be careful."

"So doc, what is our dead princess telling you?" Cole rubbed his hands together as Gibbs examined the sarcophagus.

"An absolutely fascinating story. It is mentioned several times that this princess is protected by an avenging spirit; a warrior who will never know death."

"Cute stuff for the kiddies doc, but treasure! Does it say anything about how the tanna leaves work?"

"That I'm still translating, but what I have so far speaks of such danger I'm hesitant to continue. We saw what happened to Kitty."

Cole pulled out his gun and leveled it at the older man. "Finish the words doc, or that screwy dame won't be the only one to disappear."

"Mister Cole, I protest! This is an amazing scientific find, not to mention historical!"

"All I care about is cheating the reaper. If this box of bones can do that, great, but I can find the same answer somewhere in this dump, I'd settle for that too!" He fired off a round into the ancient stonework, destroying countless hours of work and what a lifetime of slavery took to build.

Anoheb put down his journal. He felt a chill despite the sweltering heat. He considered writing it off as nerves or a tropical disease, but he ventured into the cramped hold of the boat to make sure. Striking a match, he looked around the pitiful amount of equipment they had brought.

He moved further inside to check on the one bit of cargo he cared about. "Fear not Kharis, the infidels shall die for their crimes against our princess." He lowered the match. The flame went out as the lid of the box opened slightly then slammed shut. After checking to make sure the top was secured, Andoheb went back to his cabin

The trip up to the Black Lagoon was smoother than last time, although there were still a few setbacks. When Lucas finally sobered up, he was none too pleased to discover their destination, although a large cash deposit managed to calm him enough not to throw them all overboard.

Amira caught Marta lounging by the rear of the boat, her feet dangling off the side. "I'd be careful doing that."

"Piranha?" Marta drew her legs back.

"Worse," Amira was about to go into more detail when Andoheb appeared behind her.

"I fear this is where we must part company, at least for the moment." Amira noticed his crate being loaded onto the shore. "I wish you the best of luck in finding your father my dear."

"Why don't you come with us?" Amira eyed the crate. He had no bearers and nothing else save for the box. What was he going to do?

"Alas, I fear our paths must diverge. My interest is and always has been on recovering the treasure of my people." He stepped off the gang plank and went ashore, leaving the two women on the boat.

"Odd fellow." Marta surmised.

"Yes, but there is something about him, I fear we may see him again."

"Gee, you sure know your way around a jungle!" Marta struggled against the weight of her back as Amira cleared the path.

"It helps to have been here before."

"You've mentioned that, but why are we here when the postcard was marked Rio?"

"No, it had been processed through Rio, but I noticed the markings. It had been taken from a remote office and sent to Rio, then forwarded to you. The office is the chief post office for this district, so it must have been sent from here. As for this exact location, this is the only section of the jungle where a person could live."

"Oh that's silly, aren't there natives?"

"No, in fact this section of the Amazon was left alone for centuries. If your father is anywhere in this green hell, I know the location well, but we'll have to hurry. There is danger here I'd rather not face again."

"That is the second time you've mentioned danger. What is it? What is out here?"

"You promise not to laugh?" Amira stopped swinging her machete. When Marta nodded, Amira broke out her canteen. "There is a monster living in this jungle; some kind of fish-man. It stalks the murky waters of the lagoon."

Marta wasn't impressed. "And let me guess, no one has ever seen this creature and lived to tell the tale?"

"Actually quite a few people have seen it, myself included." Amira took a long swig of water.

Marta quieted down. "You did?"

"Yes, and I barely escaped," Amira omitted the part about her being a werewolf at the time. "Since it looks like the two of us, let's go ahead and find shelter. There should a ruined fort a few kilometers ahead. We can make camp there and plan our search in the morning."

"I must say Ms. Carroll, I do wish you would put some clothes on." Gibbs fumbled with his glasses.

"I'm wearing boots, isn't that enough?" The disembodied voice echoed in the lab. The boots clicked together in response. "Starkers I can go anywhere and listen to anything, even that creep Cole."

"Yes, Mister Cole has explained to me several times about that. He's not a man to trifle with, so I ask that you please refrain from eavesdropping."

"Yeah?" Kitty's voice sniggered. "Maybe you should try listening to him. That guy is daffy! He's convinced this mummy is going to make him immortal. He's dangerous professor, and if we don't split now I'm not sure we'll be able to."

"Nonsense! Why, Mister Cole is probably just tired from the heat, that's all. We've made some amazing discoveries here and I won't abandon them over some silly hysteria."

An exasperated sigh drifted past his ear. "Ok, ok, but I warned you prof. The next time that mug starts talking to himself, I'm slipping out of here."

"Oh, now don't be silly. Where would you go in your state?"

"Anyplace I felt like it Gibbs." Kitty's voice was low and dangerous. The boots undid themselves and fell over. "If I were to walk out that door, would you really be able to find me? And in the nighttime, well, you can barely see straight in the daytime. I'd disappear Gibbs."

A chisel flew up then suddenly dropped. Gibbs stepped back as the door opened. "Kitty, Kitty what are you doing?"

"You know, I was really rather cross with you at the first Gibbs, but now? Now I can go anywhere I want to and do anything I please. Remember what I said Gibbs." The door shut itself.

"Kitty? Kitty, are you still here?" Gibbs stayed still for a long time.

Cole, meanwhile, was busy with other projects. "The princess's secrets will be mine, no matter what!" He walked by himself. With Kitty's new habit of eavesdropping, he took to walking only in the most inhospitable parts.

He moved silently as he neared the outer wall. The fort's remains were barely standing, but the inner labs were covered. When he heard two voices talking, he drew his gun and inched closer. "Two hikers? Too bad for them!" He cocked the hammer as he neared closer.

"I still can't believe that my father is still alive." Marta warmed coffee over the small fire as Amira adjusted the lean-to.

"I wouldn't put too much faith in that. We still don't know if that letter was real or not. Honestly, I've been having a bad feeling about this trip since we arrived."

"Then why are we here?" Marta sighed.

"This seemed like the best place, yet now, I'm not sure."

Cole stepped out into the open. His gun trained on both of them. "You don't know how right you are gals. Stick your hands up and I won't blow your brains out yet."

Marta and Amira complied. Cole smiled deeply as he gestured towards the jungle. "We're going for a walk and I don't want any funny business."

Before the two women could say anything, a large branch ripped itself free from a nearby tree and shattered itself over Cole's head. Amira rushed forward and quickly bound the man's hands and feet together. "What just happened?" Marta scratched her head.

"Around here I don't question odd things." She tucked the pistol into her belt. She started to walk into the brush when Marta stopped her.

"We're not going to leave him here, are we?"

"He just tried to kill us, plus I doubt he walked here. There must be another camp close by. Let's check it out, see if they're friendly."

"But what about him?" she poked Cole with her toe.

"Leave him, if we're in the wrong we can come back and untie him, and if not we're better off where he is."

Kitty watched the two women leave. Once she was alone with Cole, the invisible woman couldn't but smile, although the effect was lost on the dazed gangster. "Well, I knew you'd crack up, but what are those two gal's angles in this?"

Kitty's musings were cut short when Andoheb strolled into the clearing. "Is this Grand Central Station?" Kitty grew exasperated. She stayed silent as the new arrival looked Cole over.

"I knew following those two would pay off." Andoheb cast his eyes skyward. "Your faithful son gives thanks for this gift." He bent down and dragged Cole off into the jungle.

"Ok, so who do I follow?" Kitty glanced around. The two women went east towards the lab, whereas the man went west towards the jungle. "I wish I had a coin to toss, although I'd have to be wearing pants then." Deciding that the latest arrival would hold more interest, she quietly slipped through the jungle after him.

"Ah, Kharis, how fortunate we are!" Andoheb, now dressed in a ceremonial robe, stepped back from the open casket. The strange brew of tanna leaves filled the air as he anointed the mummy's body with the mixture. "Rise oh son of the ancients, rise and unleash your vengeance!"

Cole, who had been awakened by this and passed out several times since, tried to speak. A heavy gag in his mouth prevented that, as Andoheb grew annoyed with the man's profanities. The priest turned his attention to the gangster. "You, who have broken our laws and defiled our tombs, shall pay for your crimes!" Kharis slowly rose from the casket. Ancient eyes glistened from behind the bandages.

Kharis lumbered out of the casket and picked Cole up with one hand. Cole grew paler. Kharis, with a withered hand, tore the gag free from his mouth. "What do you want with me?" The swagger was gone from the man's voice.

"Return what you have stolen!"

"Fine, take the stupid mummy back!" Kharis growled and shook Cole. "It's at the camp, at the camp! I can show you how to get there!"

"I can find the way myself, thank you." Andoheb nodded. Kharis slammed Cole into the ground, smashing his skull instantly.

"Come Kharis, we must rescue the princess before those infidels desecrate her any further!"

Kitty, who had been a silent witness to everything, paled. "How can you stop something like that?"

The meeting at the camp went better than previously thought. Gibbs calmly introduced himself and both women stated their reasons for being there. "Well, I'm glad for the company. My assistant Ms. Carroll seems have, ah, vanished."

"Professor, all I want to know is my father all right?"

"Frankly my dear I haven't a clue." Gibbs shrugged his shoulders. "We only found the two bodies. As to this letter you mentioned, I fear I had no idea of its existence until you told me."

"Then was it all just a wild goose chase?" Marta almost cried, but Amira stepped forward.

"Someone sent that letter, hoping to draw us here. Now, if it wasn't you or your associates, then who could it be?"

"It was I, Ygor!" A cackling voice echoed from the darkness. A hunchbacked figure emerged from the shadows of the jungle. Amira gasped in horror.

"It can't be, you were torn to ribbons two years ago!"

"Ygor survives, Ygor always survives!" The misshapen man wetly coughed. From under his tunic he produced a gun. "Follow me, please, if you want to live."

Kitty hadn't left the campsite of Andoheb. The figure of the mummy fascinated her. "That thing should be dead, but it has the strength of a dozen men, easy. How? Was it those same leaves I was using?" She considered taking more for herself, but Kharis's hand snagged her wrist when she reached for it. "How did it know?" She cried out when the undead warrior tightened his grip.

"What is going here?" Andoheb emerged from his tent. He stared at Kharis as the bandaged figure walked towards him, seemingly dragging something. "You caught something?"

"Call him off and I'll talk!" Kitty spat. Andoheb stepped back in shock.

"If I were living a few centuries ago, I'd swear Kharis captured a spirit. Tell me, who are you? Or do I ask what are you first?"

"My name is Kitty. Until a little while ago I was working for that greasy stain on the floor over there." She drew an arrow in the dirt towards Cole's remains.

"And you seek to avenge your master's death?" This sent Kitty into hysterics, much to Andoheb's confusion.

"Hardly, if anything I owe you for rubbing that bum out; no, I wanted to see if your leaves could make me visible again." She explained her story. Andoheb removed a blanket from his tent and gave it to her.

"Your story is fantastic, although I am inclined to believe you. What you spoke of, however, I fear I have no idea if the tanna leaves could reverse your condition or make it worse."

The blanket shifted in the dirt as Kitty sat down. "Well, I have to admit, I'm getting kind of use to it now, but if you still want what Cole stole, I can get it back with minimum trouble."

Andoheb chuckled. "You know, I believe you could. I'll still send Kharis with you, as I doubt you possess the strength to bring the Princess Ananka's sarcophagus back, but be warned. Any tricks and Kharis will, I assure you, put you before Anubis to weigh your heart along with your former alley."

The Creature slinked from the muck. Food had been scare and hunger drove it from the dark water towards the fort. It dimly recalled loud creatures that hurt it, but the hunger pushed everything aside. The Creature's claws glistened in the dying rays of the sun as it moved towards the voices and light.

"I keep telling you, I'm not a medical doctor!" Gibbs protested.

"And I say you are. Now fix me, or else I kill your friends!" Ygor leaned against a table for support. It was obvious the man was dying, but he would still live long enough to cause trouble for everyone.

"Of all the nights for there to be no moon!" Amira swore at herself. She considered rushing Ygor, as she doubted anyone there had loaded the gun with silver bullets, but a look at Marta and Gibbs changed her mind. "No, I couldn't let anyone else be hurt because of my actions."

"You fix me, or I shoot!" Ygor pointed the gun at Marta.

"Stop!" Gibbs put himself in front of the younger woman. "I'll do what you say, but we'll need supplies."

"You can't fool me. If I let you go, you'll try to find a weapon or call for help."

"Well, what do you expect him to do, operate with his bare hands?" Amira snapped. "I'll go and look for equipment. You can shoo t me if you want, but I won't stay here and be useless." Amira stormed off into the bowels of the building. A bullet from Ygor convinced Marta and Gibbs not to follow her.

Stumbling through the darkened ruins, Amira tried to come up with a plan. "I know I could survive being shot, but I won't risk anyone else." As she concentrated, she turned a corner into a lab. "I don't remember this part." The walls were fairly clean and the instruments looked to be in working order. An electric light cast a pale glow over everything.

"Maybe I can find something useful in here?" She examined the machines. Nothing was labeled. She moved closer to a large control panel. Seeing a lever jutting out, she grabbed it. "Maybe I could use this as a club?" She tried pulling it off, but only succeeded in dragging it down, activating the machine.

"What is going on down there?" Ygor yelled.

Amira stepped back. A hole opened up in the wall as the machine began to generate power; a strange power that was now about to unleash its full potential directly at the unsuspecting woman.

Kharis seemingly had no trouble following Kitty, almost like he could see her perfectly. She began to feel a bit self-conscious. Moving ahead, she walked closer to Andoheb. "So your boy here, how do you control him?"

"Kharis is a special case. I won't bore you with the details, but his loyalty to me is without question."

Kitty nodded, even though he couldn't see it and made a mental note of it.

The Creature lurked outside the ruins. The humans were being louder, which was fine as it made it easier to find them. The Creature crept closer to the voices.

Before Amira could move, or even question the source of the humming, she was struck by a pinpoint beam of pure energy. She howled in pain as she staggered back. As she dropped to the floor, her hand wiped a large of amount of dust free from a panel. "Gamma ray device with a lunar rock center?" She was unaware of just what the panel meant, but the all too familiar trembling in her body let her know what was happening.

"How is this possible?" She fell to the floor as her feet blazed within her boots. "It's not the full moon, it's barely dusk," She bit her lip to stifle a cry as her bones shifted and cracked. Blood flowed freely from her lip as she fumbled with her laces. She pulled one boot off seconds before talons broke through the other one. The leather warped and split as her feet shifted into paws.

Muscle swelled under her skin as she quickly tore her shirt to ribbons with her now razor sharp claws. Fur spread and covered her frame as she clawed her way toward the main door. Her mind screamed with agony as her jaw stretched and her teeth became fangs. The Wolf fumbled with her zipper before flexing and tearing the offending garment free.

The Wolf was confused. There was no moon, no food, only the lingering stench of humans. The Wolf was angry. It howled and bounded up the steps towards freedom.

"What was that?" Ygor gestured towards the entrance with his gun. "You, woman, go and check it."

Marta moved, then froze. "Wait, that gun, that was my father's gun!"

Ygor spat. "Then you're an orphan. I killed the old fool who had this!"

"You monster!" Marta balled her hands into fists. Before she could act, the Wolf burst into the room and snarled.

"What was that?" Kitty stopped when she heard the howl.

"It sounded like an animal, but not one I'm familiar with." Andoheb drew his gun. "Kharis, go and secure the area. Miss Caroll, perhaps you should stay with me." The moldering warrior nodded stiffly and lumbered off towards the ruin.

"No argument here!" Kitty, despite the heat, shivered.

Unseen by the pair, the Creature lurked nearby. It smelled two scents, yet it only saw one human. The Creature hung back, mostly due to curiosity. Most of its senses told it there were two, and the Creature hadn't lived as long as it had by ignoring its senses. It crouched and waited. When the other human revealed itself, then the Creature would strike.

The Wolf growled as it looked at the three humans. The men were clearly no threat, but the woman seemed familiar. The Wolf dismissed the feeling; how could a human mean anything? One of the men, the one twisted and smelling of death, fired his gun. The bullet passed through the Wolf's leg.

Turning to Ygor, the Wolf snarled in pain. The wound was already closing, as the bullet was not silver, but all the Wolf cared about was that someone hurt her. Ygor fired several more shots, each one tearing through the Wolf's torso.

Despite the punctured organs, the Wolf's new focus was on the man with the gun. With one swipe the gun was knocked away. The man babbled, but the Wolf was beyond human language. Two swipes of the Wolf's claws sent the man crashing to the ground.

Throwing her head back, the Wolf howled in triumph. The sound of footsteps made her remember the other two. The older man had picked up a shovel from somewhere, whereas the woman had grabbed the proven useless gun.

As the Wolf crept towards them, rage and hunger in her eyes, the Wolf stopped. The stench of death and decay flooded her nose. Turning around to face the new intrusion, the Wolf was greeted by a large bandaged man.

Growling a warning, the Wolf ignored the humans as the dead figure continued to move forward, seemingly ignoring the Wolf entirely. It was possible that is exactly what would have happened if the Wolf hadn't charged and pounced on the new arrival.

Marta felt sick. First her father's death had been confirmed by a lunatic, then a werewolf had shown up, now a mummy. A voice whispered in her ear. "Look, you two need to follow me. Things are about to get really nutty around here."

Marta shrugged. She grabbed Gibbs's arm and dragged him with her as she felt a hand slip inside hers and lead her away from the fight. Kharis and the Wolf wrestled as they slipped into the jungle.

The Creature spied the two figures rushing towards it. It still smelled three figures, but as far as it was concerned, two was enough. It leapt from the underbrush, its claws at the ready.

The Wolf grappled with Kharis. Much to the Wolf's shock, the undead creature ignored her slashing claws. When her jaws clamped down on the mummy's neck, she was rewarded with a mouth full of dust.

Kharis shoved her aside and walked towards the inner room of the ruins. The Wolf, fury overtaking her, jumped on his back and began to slash. Had Kharis vocal cords, he might have sighed in annoyance. He continued to press forward. When one swipe nearly severed his left arm, Kharis reached up and yanked the Wolf free.

Standing before a locked door, Kharis, with one gnarled hand wrapped around the Wolf's throat, slammed the lycanthrope into the door. The Wolf thrashed in rage. Kharis slammed her again and again against the steel frame. Andoheb, observing from a distance, wondered what would give first, the door or the Wolf's head.

The door finally cracked open. Kharis tossed the Wolf aside and entered. For the first time in centuries, emotion flashed in Kharis's eyes as he saw the sarcophagus of his beloved. The Wolf, for the most part, hung back, wary but undefeated.

The Creature advanced on the humans. Its maw opened wide as it approached. The third scent was driving it crazy, as it could not tell how there were three humans when it only heard and saw two. It moved past two indentions in the mud as it raised its claws high for the kill.

A kill that never happened, as a rock cracked over its head from behind; dazed, it slashed wildly, its claws seemingly drawing blood from thin air before one of the humans ran off. The Creature heard something fall, but before it understand what happened, the older human came back with a can.

The Creature couldn't read, so it had no understanding of the word 'fuel' written across the can. It did understand the foul smelling liquid that the human threw on it, and it understood the pain as the human fired a flare into the gas.

The Creature, blinded with pain, rushed back into the jungle, leaving a flaming trail in its wake. "Is it dead?" Marta asked as Gibbs fell groping to the dirt.

"I'm not sure, but I'd feel safer anywhere else." Hearing a slight moaning, Gibbs grabbed what he hoped were Kitty's arms. "Here, take her other side. We have to get her out of here and fast."

"Our boat should be just ahead. The skipper has some medical supplies."

"Fantastic," Gibbs stared in horror as the ruins suddenly exploded. He threw his tired old frame over Marta and Kitty as hot winds blasted through the jungle.

"What was that?" Kitty weakly muttered.

"I don't know." Gibbs adjusted his glasses.

Andoheb entered the chamber. "Wonderful Kharis, wonderful!" he ignored the Wolf, who kept a respectable distance. "It will be a journey getting this home, but the Princess Ananka will finally be restored to her proper resting place."

Kharis suddenly, or as sudden as his ancient body could muster, turned and glared at Andoheb. Perhaps it was the scent of the tanna leaves, or maybe just the sight of his beloved, but Kharis ignored the sigils and wards that had kept him a slave for centuries. With his remaining hand, he clamped down on Andoheb's neck.

The man struggled. "Kharis, I order you, let me go!"

The mummy lifted the priest up with one hand and shook him. With one heave, he tossed Andoheb into the Wolf. Ignoring the man's cries, Kharis limped towards the remains of Ananka. Slowly, with an almost agonized expression, Kharis kneeled before his beloved.

Unseen by all, Ygor limped down the hall. He had recovered from horrible injuries before, but this time he felt the reaper's cold hands on him. "So, they think they will be rid of Ygor, do they?" He coughed and felt something warm run down his throat.

Remembering the layout of the labs, he headed towards a special room, one that Caldwell had installed, in case things ever went wrong. Forcing the door open, Ygor stared at the vast amount of dynamite rigged to the building's foundation. With a wet cackle he yanked the lever as the room started to spin. He was unconscious before the shock wave vaporized the walls.

The next day Amira crawled from the rubble. Dressing in scraps she found in the wreckage, she made her way back out of the jungle. She spied the _Rita II_ from the shoreline and waved it down. She listened intently as Marta told of the Wolf's actions and the fate of Ygor.

She jumped when Kitty introduced herself, but regained her composure fast enough. Gibbs told of the Creature's attack and the explosion that destroyed everything. Amira listened and made notes. "Was the mummy destroyed in the explosion?" Amira looked at the black water. For just a second, she thought she caught a glimpse of two baleful eyes looking back at her, but she stepped back from the ship's railing as the topic of conversation drifted to more mundane things.

The end

Thanks for Darci's help, as always, for helping me narrow the focus down on this story and for helping with the beta.

The work was original, but based on the following films:

**The Mummy's Hand** (1940). Dir. Christy Cabanne, Universal Pictures

**The Invisible Woman** (1940). Dir. A. Edward Sutherland, Universal Pictures

**Revenge of the Creature **(1955). Dir. Jack Arnold, Universal Pictures


End file.
